Honolulu mayor Peter Carlisle criticized former Gov. Ben Catetano for taking a position that an enhanced bus system, and not rail, is the way to go.

"It's hard to understand why Cayetano would support running buses down two streets-- King and Beretania,” said Carlisle.

Carlisle said it's something that Cayetano and the Federal Transit Administration rejected as a bad idea, because of the elimination of parking and the effect on small business.

"Nothing has changed in the last 10 years, expect that traffic is worse. His traffic plan solution in 2003 was a bad idea, and it still is," said Carlise.

Cayetano shot back that the Bus Rapid Transit concept would still be less intrusive and less expensive than an elevated rail project. He pointed to renderings of the concrete pillars and guide ways running through downtown Honolulu.

"What do you think this is going to do to traffic when you build it? It is going to close this street and this is Bishop Street. How's that for impact on business? What do you think of this? This is Chinatown what do you think this is going to do for businesses here?,” said Cayetano.

Cayetano suggested that perhaps Carlisle was too eager to put the rail project on automatic pilot, and was maybe not hands on enough on such an important issue.

"It shows how he thinks, and we think differently," said Cayetano.

Kirk Caldwell who holds himself out as a candidate who sees rail working with buses, not one or the other, took exception to another of Cayetano's traffic solutions.

"I don't call it a plan. It's not a half-baked plan. I call it an unbaked plan. It's really no plan at all," said Caldwell.

He said Cayetano's suggestion using the shoulder of the freeway to run buses was poorly thought out.