Marks Amtrak stop coming Dec., 2017

Quitman County officials have placed the completion date for a Marks Amtrak stop at December 31, 2017.

Quitman County supervisors are seeking a $700,000 line of credit in addition to a $500,000 Mississippi Department of Transportation grant, according to the Quitman County Democrat. The county is responsible for providing an ADA-compliant passenger platform.

Quitman County Administrator Velma Benson-Wilson told the Democrat that a bid advertisement should be ready by January 1, 2017, with bids due February 1 and the construction contract awarded April 1. Benson-Wilson said the contractor should complete the construction in 90 days in a “best case scenario,” with additional time allowed for paperwork and weather delays.

Quitman County and City of Marks officials have been trying to get a flag stop since 1995 when Amtrak shifted its passenger service from the Grenada line through Batesville to the Valley line that runs through Marks. Presently, Greenwood and Yazoo City are Amtrak’s only stops between Memphis and Jackson.