Embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatus for reallocating workload related to traversal of a ray through a spatial index. In a first operating state a workload manager may be experiencing a first or a normal workload. In the first operating state the workload manager may be responsible for traversing the entire spatial index and a vector throughput engine may be responsible for performing ray-primitive intersection tests. In an increased workload state the workload manager may experience an increased workload. In response to the increased workload the image processing system may partition the spatial index such that the workload manager may be responsible for traversing a first portion of the spatial index and the vector throughput engine may be responsible for traversing a second portion of the spatial index and for performing ray-primitive intersection tests.