Those who live or work in Salt Lake have mixed feelings about the possibility that the City Council could renege on a pledge to bring a commuter rail line through the community.

Some said the alternative — bringing rail instead to Honolulu International Airport — would be a smarter choice, while others said a line through Salt Lake would be better-used and take more cars off the road. Still others said they would be OK with both proposals.

Grant Tanimoto, the former chairman of the Aliamanu/Salt Lake/Foster Village Neighborhood Board and a longtime champion of bringing rail to Salt Lake, said he is disappointed the City Council is proposing to go back on its earlier agreement.

"I think the community loses," said Tanimoto, adding Salt Lake is one of the most densely populated areas of O'ahu with 30,000 residents. "We been proceeding with the assumption that there would be a rail route that would be very accessible to our residents."

But Cesar Gonzalez, 39, a Salt Lake resident, argued that taking the rail line to the airport would help tourists, commuters and residents who are flying in or out of the island. "It's a better option," said Gonzalez, of the plan to take rail to the airport instead of Salt Lake.

As early as tomorrow, City Council members could take their first vote on Bill 64, which was introduced last week and proposes the elevated commuter rail line planned for East Kapolei to Ala Moana bypass the Salt Lake community in favor of the airport.

More than a year ago, Salt Lake was put onto the rail route as part of a political compromise to win Councilman Romy Cachola's support for the project. Cachola, whose district includes Salt Lake, held the swing vote when the council approved the rail project in 2007. He threatened to vote against rail unless it was routed through Salt Lake.

Cachola has said the city needs to follow through with its commitment to Salt Lake.

But Bill 64 supporters said a Salt Lake spur could still be built in the future.

At Salt Lake Shopping Center last week, Salt Lake resident Jerry Kitayama said he didn't want rail coming to the community and would prefer it go to the airport. The 64-year-old added that rail would displace too many homes and businesses.

But Young Kwon, 50, the owner of a small sundries shop at the center, saw opportunity in bringing rail to Salt Lake. "For businesses, it would be very good," he said.

City officials have said that bringing the rail line through Salt Lake would displace dozens of homes and businesses, especially since the community is largely built out. But details on how many would be displaced have not been ironed out, and proponents of rail say the overall economic benefit to the community would be significant — and worth it.

Those who want rail in Salt Lake also point out that the airport route would cost more.

According to a draft environmental impact statement for the project, the planned Salt Lake route will cost $4.3 billion, including $821 million to cover contingencies. Meanwhile, the airport route is projected to cost $4.5 billion.

However, that figure includes $862 million in contingency costs.

The city plans to start work on the rail line in late 2009.

Limited service between West Loch and Waipahu would start in late 2013, and full service to Ala Moana would begin by the end of 2018.

Mililani resident Burt Ollestead said he works in Salt Lake, and sees a need for rail in the community and at the airport. "They should probably hit all the places," he said.

But airline worker Ken Chang said rail to the airport is a bigger priority.

The Pearl City resident added Salt Lake could get a line later.

"It's good for us," he said, of the option to take rail to the airport.

Meanwhile, Merle Takuma, who lives and works in Salt Lake, said she's just not sure what all the fuss is about. Takuma said it's a short bus ride from Salt Lake to the airport, so a rail line in either place would be well-used. "I don't care" which option the city goes with, she said. Then, she added, "You've just got to go with popular demand."