Subways Should Return To 24/7 Service This Summer: Mayor

NEW YORK CITY — A post-coronavirus "summer of New York City" won't be complete without 24/7 subway service, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

De Blasio said his July 1 reopening goal for the city is a good time to stop overnight subway closures.

"So, subways: I have long believed we should get back to 24/7 at the right time," he said Thursday. "I think July 1st is the right time."

Like much of de Blasio's reopening vision, his authority to actually stop the pandemic-related 2 to 4 a.m. subway closure is limited to nonexistent.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and MTA officials have held that authority — and they've maintained the closures for cleaning and disinfecting will continue as long as the coronavirus pandemic lasts.

But the yearlong closure — which was unprecedented before the pandemic — will end "soon," Sarah Feinberg, MTA's interim president, said on Fox 5's "Good Day" this week.

"We’re not there yet, we're getting there," she said.

Many advocates argue reopening the city is impossible without restoring 24/7 subway service to ensure workers can get around.

De Blasio said efforts to help homeless people on the subways and cleaning the cars have helped riders get more comfortable coming back.

"I think that should continue for a while as we consolidate our gains," he said. "But when we talk about a full recovery July 1, I'm very comfortable that's a great time to bring the subways back 24/7."