Warning that Honolulu's planned elevated mass transit system could spoil views and scenery, a local architects group is calling on the city to consider building a street-level system instead.

"We are deeply concerned about the shape of the system and potential adverse affects to our beautiful island," Peter Vincent, president of Honolulu's chapter of the American Institute of Architects, wrote in a letter to Mayor Mufi Hannemann.

The group believes that "an elevated guideway will create a blight, particularly in our urban environments, and will obstruct otherwise protected mauka/makai view corridors."

Street-level systems are usually less costly, and better facilitate new "transit oriented development" along routes, according to the group.

The group supports the transit project, but "we implore you to open the technology options to include at-grade light rail, for the benefit of a higher quality of life for our island and its future," Vincent wrote to the mayor.

Wayne Yoshioka, director of the city Department of Transportation Services, said he would have to review the AIA letter before issuing a full response, but noted that "the City Council has implicitly selected grade-separated fixed guideway in the Locally Preferred Alternative."

"Generally speaking, an at-grade alignment would mix with vehicular and pedestrian traffic, negating the benefits of a grade-separated route," Yoshioka said in a written statement. "We appreciate AIA's support of rail transit over busways and HOT lanes. However, we respectfully disagree with its position."

Plans call for the transit system to run from Kapolei to Ala Moana at first, and to later link with Waikiki and Manoa. The total cost is estimated at $5 billion.

Hannemann has long favored an elevated rail transit system on steel tracks. Other options include a monorail on rubber tires or a train that glides on a cushion of magnetic levitation. Hannemann has called for a panel of national experts to decide which technology is best for Honolulu.

Meanwhile, some City Council members and others are pushing for a buslike system that Hannemann says would not meet criteria included in key planning documents that qualify the project for crucial federal grants.

The council agreed in 2006 to plan a "fixed guideway" system that calls for some form of train, and rejected a "managed lane" alternative that could accommodate buses.

A firm decision on the type of vehicle must be made before an environmental impact statement for the project can be completed and allow construction to begin. Hannemann hopes to break ground by 2009.

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