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Yesterday, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority’s board unanimously approved a resolution ratifying a funding agreement that will ensure the continuation of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail extension to Loudoun County, Va.

A multi-party memorandum of agreement outlines the fiscal responsibilities of federal, state and local entities for the $2.8 billion project’s second phase. The board also approved an agreement with the Commonwealth of Virginia on the use of a project labor agreement for the second phase.

The agreement “demonstrates real cooperation between our board, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and Loudoun and Fairfax counties,” said Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Chairman Charles Snelling in a prepared statement.

The entire project calls for extending the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s Metrorail service 23 miles from East Falls Church, Va., to Washington Dulles International Airport and Loudoun County. The first phase, which is under construction and scheduled for completion in 2013, includes an 11.5-mile line from East Falls Church to Reston, Va., and four stations in Tysons Corner. The second phase calls for extending the new line another 11.6 miles from Fairfax County to the airport and on into Loudoun County, and building six stations.

The second phase originally would have been partially funded with highway tolls, but last week the U.S. Department of Transportation announced additional Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act funds would be available for the project, authority officials said. In addition, Loudoun and Fairfax county officials agreed to fund construction projects associated with the extension, such as the construction of a parking garage.