I am glad no city funds will be used directly.

I suspect that hundreds of hours were spent by city employees dialoguing with stake holders and visioning these bikes.

Once again, a revolving door between city hall and city coffers (City Bike is disturbing, even if bikes and birks are involved (The former Portland City Bike Czarina works for Alta).

Bike evangelism. Onward cycling soldiers.

Sorry for typo.
"Once again, a revolving door between city hall and city coffers is disturbing, even if bikes and birks are involved."

Another example of a misbegotten "public/private partnership". Without the public component no private investors wil be dumb enough to get in.

Is there any way to put a stop to this foolishness before going any further down the rabbit hole?

What's up with failing to line up a sponsor before the once-promised opening date (and STILL not getting one)? Does that mean that private money thinks this plan is doomed to fail? [Spoiler alert: Yes.]

Has anyone in favor of the project ever before acknowledged that no one will use the bikes for at least six months out of the year? Do the revenue projections take this fact into account?

This is just like the Oregon Iron Works/Portland streetcar fiasco, but with bikes.

It's interesting that we got so much federal money for this without committing local money. Usually, the City puts itself on some costly hook in return for taking the fed's "free money".

Business and local government are working in collusion on multiple issues. Perception management through the media is vital to maintaining that relationship.

"...the city is anticipating a shortfall of about $960,000 in the program's first year." But they're still going to watch that money go down that rathole. After all, it's not like it's their money.

"Public Private" enterprise?
Run! and try to hold on to your wallet.

Above posters, it's wrong to say that Portland isn't spending any money for bike share.

Of the now estimated $4 million dollar cost (it will go up), $2 Million is coming from Oregon/Portland's Flexible Funds (gas taxes) account that can be used for several types of transportation projects. Like filling potholes, paving a street. Add onto that all the staff/administrative costs coming out of PBOT, City Commissioner's office budgets, and all the other city bureaus that will be involved. It isn't free.

How much do bike lobbyists make or do they do this for free? If they receive a salary, who pays it? There seems to be quite an industry behind the bike advocacy, that I am surprised that they would not be forthcoming with some funds for the private portion/costs.

Mamacita -

The former City Bike Czarina OWNS Alta, she doesn't just work there.

And a piles of Ciy general fund dollars , not just the Regional Flexible Funds (RFF)scammed through Metro from ODOT and the feds, at the expense of fixing unsafe ped crossings of Barbur in outer residential South West, have already gone to the Czarina's firm for consulting and planning for this farce.

What is going to be real interesting is what happens to the almost $ 2 Million in RFF funds that the City got from Mero / ODOT / FDOT if he Ciy can't raise the extra bucks it now discovers it needs.

Do the RFF funds go back to Metro?

Do the RFF funds slowly disappear in the PBOT budget?

Does the Council do what it should have done initially and ask Metro for permission to use the RFF funds for the Barbur ped safey project?