Walking, biking & transit in Brookline
See the routes Brookline 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.
#3 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 Brookline— 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 Brookline moves
New to Brookline? You're joining a town that moves — neighbors logged 1,587 trips on foot, by bike, and on transit in the last 90 days, and Massachusetts Avenue, Commonwealth Avenue and Beacon Street are where you'll find them. A corridor appears only once three or more different people have traveled it — and it follows Brookline residents wherever they go, including into neighboring towns, within about six miles of the town center.
Momentum
Active trips in Brookline 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 · Brookline is 6 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 Brookline 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 Brookline's totals on this page, earns you rewards at local businesses, and enters you into seasonal prize drawings.
Events near Brookline
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 · 3.9 mi away
FreeRegistration req’dBeginner-friendlyLandry's Boston Slow Roll Social Ride
Mondays · next Mon, Aug 24 · Landry's Boston · 1 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 · 5.3 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 B-Line Crawl
transit · 0.9 mi · ~90 min · Boston · Brookline
Museum Hop
walk + transit · 3.6 mi · ~180 min · Boston
The Emerald Necklace Ride
bike · 7.3 mi · ~49 min · Boston · Brookline
Get involved in Brookline
Safer streets are made by neighbors who speak up. Start small:
Bicycle Advisory Committee Meeting (Brookline)
Brookline's Bicycle Advisory Committee is meeting, giving residents a chance to weigh in on biking conditions and priorities in town.
Attend the meeting→In Brookline
City committees you can join
- Bicycle Advisory Committee — A town committee that advises on bike safety, education, and access, meeting the first Monday of the month at 7 PM at Town Hall — open to all residents.
- Pedestrian Advisory Committee — A town committee that advises the Transportation Board on walking safety and sidewalk access, meeting the second Monday of the month at 7 PM via Zoom.
Advocacy groups
- Brookline for Everyone — A grassroots resident group working toward compact, walkable neighborhoods near transit through housing and zoning advocacy.
Your transportation department
- Engineering & Transportation Division (DPW) — The town office that plans and manages Brookline's streets, sidewalks, bike facilities, parking, and traffic-calming projects. (617-730-2177)
Regional & statewide groups5 more — research, campaigns, and coalitions you can join→
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.
Keep a pulse on Brookline
New street projects, meetings worth your voice, and how Brookline is moving — 1–2 emails a month.
Help Brookline climb the board
Every walk, ride, and transit trip counts automatically. Download Shift free and put your trips on Brookline's board.
Community stats reflect trips by Shift community members that start or end in Brookline 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.