The Virginia GOP has lost their losing battle with the public interest as, at long last, the second stage of the Dulles Metrorail extension will be built under a Project Labor Agreement (PLA).

In a 20-19 vote (one Republican abstained), a bill that would have prevented the use of a PLA in “Right-to-Work” Virginia will not get to Governor Bob McDonnell’s desk. Democrats had assailed the last ditch attempt by the state’s extreme conservatives as pure obstructionism:

“What this bill is, make no mistake, is a poison pill,” said Senator Janet Howell, D-Reston. “It will put in jeopardy the most important project in Northern Virginia.”

Closure is the news workers and travelers have been hoping for since U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood announced that he had successfully moderated Phase II funding talks in November.

But since that triumphant announcement, the GOP has pulled out creative obstructionism, attempting to reorganize the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) to weight it in their favor. Now here we are, in February, with a miles-long construction site sitting idle on the Dulles Toll road, money in the ground and workers on the bench. Despite their desire to flex “Right-to-Work” muscle, the Virginia GOP now finally must admit the progress of the project is tied to the PLA which produced excellent results on Phase I.

Here’s lookin’ at you, Phase II.