New York City beaches are now open just in time for the Fourth of July holiday weekend, and the MTA announced on Wednesday its plans to get beachcombers to and from their destination.
For many this year, July 4 has become the unofficial start of summer, as beaches and pools had been closed on Memorial Day due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the city reopening in phases, restrictions were eased to allow New Yorkers to catch some rays and even wade in the water, albeit with social distancing regulations in effect.
Anyone planning to spend a part of their weekend on the sands of Rockaway Beach can access the Rockaway Park Shuttle, which will be extended north from its normal Broad Channel terminus to the Rockaway Boulevard station on the A line in Queens. This allows riders of bus lines along Woodhaven and Cross Bay Boulevards the opportunity to transfer to and from the shuttle.
The extended Rockaway Park shuttle operates from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through Labor Day weekend.
The MTA will run a normal Saturday schedule on the subways on Friday, July 3, and Saturday, July 4. A normal Sunday schedule will be in effect on July 5. Express service on the 6 and 7 lines will be suspended, and B and W trains will not operate.
Those heading to Brighton Beach or Coney Island this weekend, however, will find some inconvenience, as F train service to both points will be suspended due to ongoing signal upgrades along the Culver Line. Shuttle buses will also not be available.
Those heading to Coney Island can pick up the B68 bus, which runs parallel to Coney Island Avenue. They can also take the D, N or Q trains to Coney Island, and the Q train to Brighton Beach.
All New York City Transit and express buses will run on a Saturday schedule on July 3 and 4. There are plenty of bus lines that take riders directly to the city’s best beaches.
If you’re planning to spend a day at Orchard Beach, hop on the Bx12 bus in the Bronx.
Brooklynites heading to Brighton Beach can take the B1, B36 or B68 buses. For Coney Island, use the B36, B64, B68 or B82 buses; and for Manhattan Beach, take the B1 or B49 buses.
Those heading to the Rockaways in Queens can take the Q22 or Q35 buses to Jacob Riis Park, or the Q22, Q35, Q52 SBS or Q53 SBS to Rockaway Beach.
For more information, visit mta.info.
