In our cities, unsustainable transportation practices have been a source of pollution, extended travel times, and diminished quality of urban life. In response, local governments are increasingly promoting active modes of transportation and transit-oriented development. Within this context, walking has emerged as a significant aspect of urban planning, as it facilitates healthier and more sustainable lifestyles and contributes to more livable cities.

The BostonWalks study is a smartphone-based GPS tracking initiative in the Boston metropolitan area, designed to generate an up-to-date dataset on travel behavior, with a particular focus on non-automobile travel and its representation across all population segments. The dataset comprises approximately 155,000 trips from 990 participants, making it one of the most extensive of its kind in North America. Utilizing state-of-the-art data processing methods, we achieved high accuracy and reliability in documenting trip details such as mode of transport, duration, and distance. Originally designed to support equitable and sustainable urban planning, the dataset is also valuable for a wide range of applications, including transportation modeling, public health studies, and social behavior analysis.