L train service returns and the Queens-Midtown tunnel is set to open

Nearly all of the subway system has finally come back online, as the MTA Thursday started running the L train along its entire track.

The line had been going only between Rockaway Parkway and Broadway Junction for almost a week, but the agency re-opened its entire length after inspectors signed off on its safety.

The tube the L train travels through was severely flooded by Hurricane Sandy, with water reaching 15 feet high throughout the entire 3,400-foot tube.

The Queens-Midtown Tunnel was also cleared to re-open, with all commuter traffic expected to be able to use it starting Friday morning after nearly a week of it only serving buses during rush hours.

"We continue to progress toward the complete restoration of service and will continue to do so incrementally, but only when it's safe and doesn't overcharge the system," said MTA chief Joe Lhota said.

Still, service in the Rockaways and along the Sea Beach Line may take some time to restore, as the A line and N line in those areas suffered extensive damage during the storm.

Likewise, R train service between Manhattan and Brooklyn is still down, and crews were still working to pump its tube dry on Thursday.