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Earlier this week, representatives of Virginia’s congressional delegation announced $116 million would be released in federal New Starts funding for the first phase of the Dulles Metrorail project.

The funding was slated to be released yesterday, according to a press release from the office of U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.). Joining Moran in announcing the funds’ release were U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), and U.S. Sens. Jim Webb (D-Va.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.).

“We cannot pave our way out of the worst traffic in the nation,” Moran said. “The expansion of Metro to Dulles will help reduce traffic and move all of northern Virginia into a more environmentally friendly, transit-oriented region.”

The first phase includes construction of an 11.7-mile heavy rail line from West Falls Church Station through Tysons Corner to Wiehle Avenue in Reston, Va. The total project will entail five new stations, improvements to an existing rail yard, 64 new rail cars and 2,300 parking spaces at the Wiehle Avenue Station.

The 11.7-mile extension is the first phase of a proposed 23.1-mile extension of Metrorail to Dulles International Airport.