Residents and others concerned about the city's planned elevated commuter rail have until Jan. 7 to provide comments about the project's environmental impacts.

That's when the 45-day public comment period for the project's draft environmental impact statement will end. An electronic version of the 400-plus-page document is available at www.honolulutransit.org. The document also is expected to be available for inspection at public libraries next week.

The city will accept comments on its Web site, or via mail addressed to the Honolulu Department of Transportation Services, 3rd Floor, 650 S. King St., Honolulu, HI 96813.

The public also can provide comments at five upcoming community meetings. The dates of those meetings have not been set yet, but the first is scheduled to occur early next month. The city expects the final environmental impact statement will be released next summer and construction to begin in December 2009.