The subways we share

After riding the No. 4 train to his inauguration, Mayor de Blasio has been an infrequent straphanger during his term. Now, in a reelection year, he is down under a lot, having discovered that the subways stink (and we don’t mean with unwashed individuals his police detail makes sure aren’t on platforms or cars he uses).

We welcome de Blasio’s renewed interest in feeling the misery of what the rest us feel far too often. Gov. Cuomo, who’s in charge of the agency that runs the trains, could stand to ride them more frequently himself to get a taste of same; the only time he tends to get on board is when he’s opening a brand new line.

In fact, how’s this for a dream: De Blasio and Cuomo could get on a train together. They can even clear the whole car of everyone else, stretch out and, since it’ll probably be delayed, take some time to talk.

Cuomo can promise that he will push to have Albany make good on the near $500 million that the state has pilfered from the fare box over the years. One good sign is that latest larceny, $65 million filched this year, is expected by the MTA to be put back next year.

And de Blasio can stop stalling and start talking brass tacks about the city funds he’ll put up to help foot the bill for MTA Chair Joe Lhota’s $800 million-plus rescue plan.

The mayor keeps saying that since the state and Cuomo runs the subways, the state and Cuomo should pay it. This is a dodge. Whether the city or state happens to be the conduit for collecting the dollars, city taxpayers are on the hook.

And the subways are an intricately intertwined creature of both the state and the city.

Just how intertwined? The city owns the system, but the state operates it.

The state MTA pays the transit workers, but the city handles their pensions. It is the NYPD that guards the trains and riders, not the MTA cops who patrol Grand Central and Penn Station.

Capital investments are shared, with each side putting in billions subject to joint approval.

Hand and glove. And that makes sense, because without the subways, there is no city, and the city is the main driver of the state economy.

City Controller Scott Stringer, whose job is to watch the public purse, says that the city has the funds to pay 50% of the cost and should do so. He insists that every penny be accounted for and also warns that the cost to the economy could be in the billions if the trains don’t get back on track.

Cuomo has already sent half the cash to Lhota for immediate use, and the governor is putting the screws to Con Ed for power shortages and surges, which interfere with the trains and the signals.

Get on board, Bill. Nobody’s holding this train for you. And stand clear of the closing doors.