PHOENIX — Drivers heading north to the Payson area on Friday afternoon for a weekend trip will run into some backed up traffic.

The northbound lanes of State Route 87 just south of Payson have been partially re-opened after closing earlier in the afternoon due to a brush fire, the Arizona Department of Transportation announced.

The roads about seven miles of Payson were closed at 2:45 p.m. Friday, but traffic had been backed up as much as five miles since 2 p.m.

Around 3:45 p.m., one lane was re-opened.

Initially, the brush fire only shut down one lane, and weekend traffic heading north quickly backed up the roads.

There was no estimated time before the highway would be fully re-opened.

Drivers were encouraged to use the Interstate 17 north to State Route 260 east as an alternate route.

SR 87 Northbound, about 7 miles south of Payson: Traffic backup is about 5 miles long due to one lane being blocked. There is a brush fire in the area. #aztraffic pic.twitter.com/GQnz109244

— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) July 31, 2020

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