Walking, biking & transit in Boston
See the routes Boston neighbors actually walk, ride and take transit on, what's happening locally, and how the town is trending — built from real trips logged in the Shift app.
#5 of 27 Massachusetts towns by Shift Rate so far in August: share of active transportation trips (walk, micromobility, transit).
Counts cover August 1 through today, based on trips logged by Shift community members that start or end in Boston— a growing sample, meant as an interesting local signal, not an official or census-level count. *CO₂ avoided is estimated from active miles traveled (EPA 404 g/mi baseline).
Where Boston moves
New to Boston? You're joining a town that moves — neighbors logged 5,288 trips on foot, by bike, and on transit in the last 90 days, and Monsignor O'Brien Highway, Massachusetts Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue are where you'll find them. A corridor appears only once three or more different people have traveled it — and it follows Boston residents wherever they go, including into neighboring towns, within about six miles of the town center.
Momentum
Active trips in Boston by week ending, last 5 completed weeks — and climbing
Friendly competition
Massachusetts towns by Shift Rate so far in August — the share of trips taken actively · Boston is 7 points behind #1
Every town here has its own page — local stats, popular routes, events, and ways to get involved.
Tap any town to exploreHow Boston moves
Active trips and miles so far in August, by mode
Share of trips
Share of miles
What is this?
Shift is a free app from Green Streets Initiative, a nonprofit that has celebrated walking, biking, and transit since 2006. Shift automatically counts your walks, rides, and transit trips — every trip adds to Boston's totals on this page, earns you rewards at local businesses, and enters you into seasonal prize drawings.
Events near Boston
A few picks over the next 30 days — the full calendar has everything.
Landry's Charlestown Beginner Road Ride
Sundays · next Sun, Aug 23 · Landry's Charlestown · 2.6 mi away
FreeRegistration req’dBeginner-friendlyLandry's Boston Slow Roll Social Ride
Mondays · next Mon, Aug 24 · Landry's Boston · 1.9 mi away
FreeRegistration req’dBeginner-friendlyWeekly Social Bike Ride
Thursdays · next Thu, Aug 27 · Cafe Zing · 3.6 mi away
FreeBeginner-friendlyFamily-friendlyLandry's Needham Women's/Non-Binary Road Ride
Thursdays · next Thu, Aug 27 · Landry's Needham · 7.2 mi away
FreeRegistration req’dBeginner-friendlyRoams to try
Guided routes — preview the full route here, then check in at each stop in the Shift app to earn the badge.
The Emerald Necklace Ride
bike · 7.3 mi · ~49 min · Boston · Brookline
Museum Hop
walk + transit · 3.6 mi · ~180 min · Boston
The Freedom Trail
walk · 3.5 mi · ~70 min · Boston
Get involved in Boston
Safer streets are made by neighbors who speak up. Start small:
Blue Hill Avenue Design Update | Town Hall in Mattapan (In-Person)
The MBTA and City of Boston are sharing updated street designs for Blue Hill Avenue and want feedback on parking, lighting, green space, and other community priorities.
Attend the meeting→In Boston
Advocacy groups
- Boston Better Streets Coalition — A grassroots coalition of 800+ Boston residents who organize neighborhood safety walks and speak up for safer streets, better bike lanes, and reliable transit citywide. (bostonbetterstreets@gmail.com)
- WalkUP Roslindale — A volunteer neighborhood group working to make Roslindale more walkable through community walks, public-comment campaigns, and support for safer crossings and bike share.
Free commuter perks & shuttles
- A Better City TMA — Pays downtown Boston commuters to skip the solo drive — up to $50 a year for biking to work, carpool subsidies, and free guided group bike rides, through employer members. (tma@abettercity.org)
- Allston-Brighton TMA — Carpool subsidies, up to $50 a year for biking to work, and guided group bike rides for people who work in Allston and Brighton, through employer members. (tma@abettercity.org)
- Charles River TMA — Runs the EZRide shuttle — open to the general public — between Boston's North Station and Cambridgeport via Kendall Square, plus Emergency Ride Home and other commuter programs. (info@charlesrivertma.org)
- Longwood Collective TMA — For people who work or study at Longwood Medical Area institutions — nine shuttle routes, Bluebikes discounts and bike repair sessions, carpool subsidies, and three Emergency Ride Home trips a year. (tma@longwoodcollective.org)
- Lower Mystic TMA — Free commuter services — trip planning, incentives, and the GoMassCommute app — for employees, tenants, and residents of member properties in Everett, Medford, Malden, Chelsea, and Charlestown. (info@lowermystictma.com)
- Seaport TMA — CommuteSeaport incentives and Bike Seaport programs for people who live, work, or visit Boston's Seaport District, with some benefits tied to employer membership. (info@seaporttma.org)
Fix your own bike
- BU Cycle Kitchen — Boston University's free DIY repair space at 1019 Comm Ave (enter on Babcock Street) — staff teach you to fix your own bike. Open to BU students, faculty, and staff.
Meetings & comment pathways
- Better Bike Lanes Program — Boston's hub for bike-lane projects in construction, design, and planning — see what's coming to your neighborhood, sign up for email updates, and share feedback. (better-bike-lanes@boston.gov)
Your transportation department
- Boston Transportation Department (Streets Cabinet) — The city department that plans, builds, and maintains Boston's streets, sidewalks, and bike lanes — the front door for questions about how your street works. (617-635-4680)
Regional & statewide groups6 more — research, campaigns, and coalitions you can join→
City committees you can join
- Boston Region MPO Community Advisory Councilregional — A standing advisory council with a voting seat on the regional transportation board — any Boston-area resident can apply to join and help shape walking, biking, and transit plans. (mgrenier@ctps.org)
Advocacy groups
- LivableStreets Allianceregional — The Metro Boston advocacy group for people-centered streets and transit, whose research and comment letters cover projects across the region.
- TransitMattersstatewide — The transit advocacy group pushing for faster, more reliable buses and trains across Greater Boston, with data-driven campaigns anyone can join.
- Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA)statewide — A statewide coalition of community groups advocating for safe, affordable, and reliable transportation choices in every corner of the state.
- WalkMassachusettsstatewide — The statewide walking advocacy organization that leads walk audits and pedestrian-safety campaigns, with open network meetings on Zoom the third Wednesday of each month.
- MassBikestatewide — The statewide bicycling coalition — a way to plug into bike advocacy, group rides, and Bike Month events across Greater Boston and beyond.
Shift Rewards in Boston
Local businesses that reward people for moving actively
Keep a pulse on Boston
New street projects, meetings worth your voice, and how Boston is moving — 1–2 emails a month.
Help Boston climb the board
Every walk, ride, and transit trip counts automatically. Download Shift free and put your trips on Boston's board.
Community stats reflect trips by Shift community members that start or end in Boston and refresh hourly. Municipalities and community groups can request aggregate data at info@gogreenstreets.org. A project of Green Streets Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.