Ferry service to keep running in Rockaways

The A train is coming back to the Rockaways Thursday, and residents throughout the summer will still be able to take the ferry that replaced the train service after superstorm Sandy, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Tuesday.

The roughly 45-minute, $2 ferry ride from Beach 108th Street and Beach Channel Drive to Pier 11 in lower Manhattan will continue to shuttle Rockaways residents for the next six weeks. The city will also add weekend service to the Rockaways from July 4 through Labor Day to get tourists to the area.

"We're committed to helping the communities that were hit hard by Sandy rebuild, and this is another way for us to support the residents and small businesses of the Rockaways," Bloomberg said in a statement.

If enough riders use the ferry, the city will keep the weekday service through Labor Day, officials said. There is hope among supporters of the ferry that the city will make it permanent.

"It's going to be a test for residents," said Jonathan Gaska, district manager of Community Board 14. "When Labor Day comes, hopefully ridership during the week is such that it makes the case they should keep it running."