Photo by bfdonahue.

This morning, a Washington Metropolitan Airports Authority committee moved to approve the construction of an underground Metro station servicing Dulles International Airport — and, as Adam Tuss reports, the decision of the committee is likely to hold up to a vote of the full board.

There’s been a good bit of contention over where to build the Dulles station — underground under the parking bowl near the main terminal (a far more expensive, but much more convenient option) or on a aerial track more than 1,000 feet away from the airport. According to Tuss, the committee went with the underground option for a variety of reasons, despite the additional $300 million it will cost to build — namely, convenience for air travelers, no impact to views of Eero Saarinen’s iconic design, and the fact that it’s the option that will likely hold up the best over the next several decades.

The decision to put the station underground might force an uptick in fares on the Dulles Toll Road, as those revenues are providing funding for the construction of the station. The underground station will also take about six extra months to build, and board member and former Virginia Rep. Tom Davis pointed out that a station located farther away from the terminal might have helped to promote development around the proximity of the airfield.