Yesterday, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority admitted that it needs more money to build the second phase of the planned Metro extension to Dulles International Airport. During a meeting of the board, the Authority said that $1.2 billion would be necessary in order to properly extend the rail line that’s currently under construction in Northern Virginia all the way to Dulles.

The board of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which is overseeing construction of the extension to Dulles and Loudoun County, said Wednesday it wants Virginia to contribute $500 million and the federal government to provide loans of $700 million to $1.2 billion.

“The federal government really needs to step up to the plate,” said Mame Reiley, who chairs the Dulles Corridor Committee for the airports authority’s board. She said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has called the Dulles project “one of the most important” transportation projects in the country.

“We’re saying to him: We agree, so show us the money,” she said.

The board feels as if they’re owed the financial support from the state and the feds — after all, it controversially reversed its decision to build a more expensive underground station at the prodding of both entities.

Governor Robert McDonnell doesn’t appear to have any plans to spend any of the Commonwealth’s big $544.8 million surplus to fill the gap. Things appear to be moving a little smoother between the board and individual counties, though — the Times reports that both Fairfax and Loudoun counties have conditionally agreed to finance the construction of at least one rail station.

There has been ongoing discussions about cutting $1 billion off the entire price tag of the project; the first phase of the line, budgeted at $2.75 billion, is expected to open on time in 2014.