Amtrak’s Picayune platform phase 1 construction complete, phase two underway
Published 7:00 am Saturday, June 13, 2020
site project: Work to finish the updates to the Picayune Amtrak station is scheduled to be complete by the end of the year. Photos by Cathy Cook | Picayune Item
phase 1 complete: The first section of the Amtrak station in Picayune has been completed and is ready for use. A new ramp leads from the parking lot to the platform.
Phase one of a $4 million project to make the Picayune Amtrak station more accessible for passengers with disabilities is complete.
The first section of the platform is usable, said Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari. The platform has a new ramp with handrails and the Amtrak station sign has been relocated.
Work to complete the second section of the platform was scheduled to be complete by the end of the calendar year and is still on track to meet that timeline, said Magliari.
The next phase of work will include building a new foundation for the historic train whistle that was on display near the platform, said Magliari.
The project will also improve drainage, add warning stripes and add a lift enclosure next to the platform so that someone with a mobility device can be lifted into the train, according to previous coverage. The project is funded with federal money set aside for accessibility projects.
