The planned development around Metro stations doesn’t necessarily mean more clogged trains on the subway system, Metro officials say. Though it may seem counterintuitive, the new projects may help balance the load of commuters and help the agency bring in more fares without running lots of extra trains.

“We’re encouraging it,” said Nat Bottigheimer, Metro’s assistant general manager for planning and development. “We want to serve more transit customers. We see transit-oriented development as a really positive thing for Metro.”