The D.C. public transportation system is set to expand dramatically over the next 20 years. But aside from the long-delayed Purple Line, new train tracks aren’t part of the plan. Leaders in and around the Metro system are putting their energy behind the less-loved side of transit: the bus.

In June, Metro rolls out its new “Better Bus Network,” remaking the existing system with fewer stops and promises of faster service. Northern Virginia leaders just proposed 28 new bus routes, five of which are already in the works.