More than 600 public comments were lodged in response to a city plan to build a 20-mile East Kapolei to Ala Moana train.

City officials released the comments last week at the urging of the City Council. The 1,389-page document highlights a broad range of concerns about the planned $5.4 billion project ranging from noise, aesthetics, archaeological conservation, energy consumption and costs.

The comments reveal several main areas of dispute, including whether the train should be built on an elevated track or at street level, whether the train should bisect Salt Lake or the airport district, and whether construction of the train should start in town rather than near Kapolei.

Then there's the main issue of whether the city should even build the train.

"I feel that Honolulu transit is one of the best transit projects for O'ahu," wrote Christian Sorli of Kailua. "We are only twenty years too late. We need to move forward quickly to make up for all the lost time."

Clifford Mercado of 'Ewa Beach expressed an opposite opinion.

"We do not need this form of transportation (the train) and I don't want you or anyone else to spend a dime on this lame idea," Mercado wrote. "So do what you can to squash this project."

While many comments came from individuals, major landowners also weighed in on the plan.

Kamehameha Schools raised concerns about the visual impact the elevated track system will have on Honolulu's scenery and about the high costs of building the 20-mile route entirely above ground.

General Growth, which owns Ala Moana Center and Ward Centers, expressed concerns the train will reduce available parking and driveways and result in added security and maintenance costs among other things.

"As a general observation, as previously discussed with the city, our traffic consultants have other alternative routes through the area that would better serve the totality of Kaka'ako and reduce the economic impact to our properties, as well as reduce the number of businesses affected," wrote Jan Yokota, a General Growth vice president for development.

CONCERNS ABOUT ROUTE

General Growth isn't the only one pushing for a change in the 20-mile route. Three government agencies — the U.S. District Court, the U.S. Marshal for the District of Hawai'i and the U.S. General Services Administration — asked the city to alter the train's route to avoid the Prince Kuhio Federal Building for security reasons.

Additionally, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency urged the city to alter the train's route to avoid displacing a small Waiawa neighborhood. The League of Women Voters of Honolulu and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs also have expressed concerns about dislocating the neighborhood known as the Banana Patch.

Any significant change in the train's route could require the city to prepare what's called a supplemental environmental impact statement, which would disrupt a timeline that calls for construction to begin in December.

Overall, major property owners such as Kamehameha Schools and D.R. Horton, owner of the planned Ho'opili community in East Kapolei, and downtown property manager Pacific Guardian Center, expressed support for the project. However, some of that support was couched with concern.

For example, Pacific Guardian Center, which oversees two high-rise towers and the Dillingham Transportation Building, urged the city to build the train "at-grade," meaning at street level.

"It is our understanding that compared to at-grade transit solutions, elevated systems require inherently larger station structures to accommodate necessary elevators, escalators and stairs as well as connecting walkways and concourses," wrote H. Brian Moore, a Pacific Guardian vice president. "Despite being placed overhead, this larger overall bulk would seem to reduce the city's flexibility in planning suitable station and route locations in historic, visually sensitive and pedestrian-oriented districts."

The city eliminated ground-level transit options long ago on concerns that a ground-level train would interfere with road traffic, operate at slower speeds and generate lower ridership and higher long-term costs. However, the American Institute of Architects and other groups also urged the city to build a ground-level train because of concerns about the visual impact the approximately 30-foot-wide, 50-foot-high elevated track system will have on Honolulu's scenery.

Switching to an at-grade system at this stage would require additional environmental and engineering studies and result in major project delays.

STARTING IN KAPOLEI

Another major point of concern was where to start construction on the train. The city wants to open the first 6.5-mile leg from East Kapolei to Waipahu in late 2013 and the full route in late 2018. That means it could be nearly a decade before the train stops at major traffic centers such as Downtown and Ala Moana Center.

The dirt fields in East Kapolei are the best place to start building the 20-mile line because they require little displacement of existing homes or businesses, according to city transportation officials. However, numerous residents expressed concern that few people will want to commute between Waipahu and East Kapolei.

"Why ride it to Waipahu and then have to get on a bus to go the rest of the way?" wrote Kathleen Ebey of 'Aiea. "Just get on a bus in Kapolei, or continue to drive. However, if you start at the 'destination,' and work backwards, then people start riding it right away."

City officials already are grouping and categorizing concerns and preparing responses, which will be included in a final environmental impact statement, which they hope to release this summer. The environmental study is a major hurdle in the city's effort to obtain $1.4 billion in federal money to build the train system and to stick to a December deadline to start construction.