Just in time for the summer season, the first full section of the newly constructed Rockaway Boardwalk is finished. NY1's Josh Robin filed the following report.

It's 11 blocks long and two-and-a-half years in the making, and Mayor Bill de Blasio says the renovated stretch of boardwalk comes just in time.

"We are here to celebrate the opening of the beach season!" he said Friday.

The beach season and boardwalk season.

It's the first renovated stretch. By Independence Day, you will be able to walk more than half of the 5.5-mile path, although in separate segments.

"This is what it is the first step of a bigger effort," de Blasio said.

An effort costing more than $140 million and taking much longer than residents wanted, especially when the boardwalk in Long Beach on neighboring Long Island was up a year after the storm.

Phase 1 opened Friday, Phase 2 by July 4, Phases 3 and 4 by Memorial Day 2016, and Phase 5 split between Memorial Day 2016 and Memorial Day 2017.

Officials say the city's boardwalk is still one year ahead of the original schedule, and it's built to withstand future storms.

"We want to build a boardwalk that is built to last, easier to maintain and will protect the community," said Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver.

Still, problems remain. Temporary light fixtures need replacement, and there are questions about when your can ride your bike. But on Friday, locals seemed to mark a truce of griping about the slow pace.

"I got to tell you. You're a tough bunch. And we wouldn't have it any other way," said Queens Borough President Melinda Katz.

While the reopening of the boardwalk was welcome news, Rockaway residents still give the mayor and earful about other subjects, like the Rockaway Ferry.

The city docked the Rockaway Ferry last fall. The mayor hopes it returns as part of a citywide network in 2017.

And a 10-year-old buttonholed the mayor about police officers.

"There's a lot of shootings out here," the 10-year-old said.

"We've got a lot of cops doing a great job now, and we still got a budget process, so we're going to work with the City Council to decide where we go."

That's a few weeks off.