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Last week, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) board approved financial and operating plans for Phase I of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail extension. The board also approved an agreement with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) that outlines WMATA’s roles and responsibilities for the project.

The Dulles Corridor’s first phase calls for extending Metrorail service 11 miles from East Falls Church to Reston, Va. Under the agreement, MWAA will manage the project’s design and construction phases, and WMATA will oversee final design, construction and testing. Once construction is complete, WMATA will take over operations and integrate the extension into the regional Metrorail system.

WMATA also will purchase 64 rail cars, automatic fare-collection equipment and station signs for the extension, and provide technical support to the airports authority to ensure the line is built to its design and construction standards.

The $272.8 million first phase will be funded by Fairfax County, the state of Virginia, Dulles Toll Road revenue and MWAA. Under a future second phase, the corridor would extend another 12 miles to Washington Dulles International Airport.