Traffic congestion in Atoka

(Atoka-AP) -- Tis' the season to be jolly, but hundreds of holiday travelers weren't happy about lengthy delays on an Oklahoma highway. <br><br>The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says southbound traffic

Monday, December 1st 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Atoka-AP) -- Tis' the season to be jolly, but hundreds of holiday travelers weren't happy about lengthy delays on an Oklahoma highway.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says southbound traffic on US 69 north of Atoka was backed up for miles Sunday.

Tom Garner, a dispatcher for the highway patrol in Durant, says motorists reported delays of up to one and one-half hours trying to get through town.

Garner says the problem was apparently due to Atoka's traffic signals and heavy traffic following the long Thanksgiving weekend.

Atoka Police Department Sergeant James Riley says police officers didn't try to ease the traffic problems.

Riley says only two officers were on duty in the southeastern Oklahoma town and they didn't have time to deal with traffic.