HOUSTON -- Note: The following story is a verbatim transcript of an Investigators story that aired on Sunday, May 13, 2007, on KPRC Local 2 at 10 p.m.

Tonight, Local 2 investigates METRO's plans for mass transit. Four years ago, Houstonians approved the construction of a light-rail system to run through specific areas. But, critics claim METRO's not holding up its end of the deal. KPRC Local 2 investigative reporter Robert Arnold has been checking out these claims and joins us with what he's uncovered.

What we voted on in 2003 was METRO's mass transit plans for the entire area. METRO officials say they're fulfilling that promise.

Critics argue METRO's changed the plan after it got the votes. It's an argument that may wind up in court.

From his burger business on North Main, Mario Umanzor watched the Main Street rail line being built shortly after the 2003 vote.

Now that METRO is about to begin construction on a line through his neighborhood and in front of his business, he's wondering if he got what he voted for.

"If people would have known about all this probably things would have been different," Umanzor said.

One of the lines on the 2003 referendum is North Hardy, and some Northside residents, like Umanzor, took that to mean ….

"Down North Hardy Street," resident Rob Robles said.

"They said it was going to be in another location," resident Alfredol Santibanez said.

"I think everybody would think if it says North Hardy, it was going to be on North Hardy," Umanzor said.

That line is actually going to run from U of H downtown along North Main, Boundary and Fulton out to Northline Mall.

"No idea at all," Santibanez said.

Look at the route again. Residents complain there's only five stops between downtown and Northline Mall, forcing them to walk longer distances to homes and businesses than they do with regular bus service.

"The elderly that commute through here daily -- I just don't think it's going to work," resident Ron Robles said.

Plus, METRO has to acquire more than 100 whole and partial properties to make room for the line.

Christina Solis opened her Taqueria on Fulton a year ago and wonders how the line will affect her business.

"They're going to take parking -- they're going to take access to the front door, so we're having to make another do," Solis said.

"Since 2001 METRO's held over 150 meetings with groups and individuals regarding the North corridor," said David Wolff, METRO chairman.

METRO Board Chairman David Wolff argues the people we spoke with are only a vocal minority.

If you stop it because 3 percent, or 5 percent or 10 or 12 percent are against it, you're never going to get anything done," he said.

But Northside isn't the only complaint.

"METRO needs to honor their word and I'll be sure to help METRO keep their word," said U.S. Rep John Culberson.

The line on the 2003 referendum titled Westpark is in Houston congressman John Culberson's district. METRO's proposed line has it running down Westpark till it dead-ends, then north on Cummins and east on Richmond into downtown.

"They will not build it on Richmond. Westpark was on the ballot," Culberson said.

Culberson wants the line to run down Westpark then to a trench along the Southwest Freeway.

"Congressman Culberson is up in Washington and I hope he's doing a good job there because he's out of touch with what's happening locally," Wolff said.

While Culberson's firm stance is keeping METRO from moving forward with this part of the project, Wolff is unfazed.

"I think a lot of John's power really derived from slip-streaming on Tom DeLay and we all know what happened to Tom DeLay," Wolff said.

"In the real world, bait-and-switch doesn't work. In METRO's world it won't work because we're going to make sure we put a stop to that," attorney Andy Taylor said.

Houston attorney Andy Taylor claims these changes violate the 2003 vote. He points to this language in the referendum, which calls the vote binding and may not be repealed, altered or rescinded without voter approval.

"I think that we're very much complying with the referendum. So, I think that's a non-issue," Wolff said.

Wolff points to another part of the referendum that reads "final scope, length of rail segments or lines and other details will be based upon demand and community input."

"The referendum called for us to be open specifically to community input. Those words are in there, and if you're open to community input you might make changes," Wolff said.

And one of the biggest changes comes as METRO is about to break ground on these and two other lines. These lines won't be light-rail, they'll be Bus Rapid Transit, or B-R-T.

"Where's that on the ballot?" Taylor said.

So what is Bus Rapid Transit? And how did we get that instead of light-rail? We'll have those answers, METRO's explanation and the mayor's take on all this, plus another potential hurdle to METRO's plans to get you from the city to the suburbs. Our investigation continues tomorrow at 5 o'clock.

"Robert, when METRO took its plan to the voters in 2003, didn't it also promise to increase bus service by 50 percent?" KPRC Local 2 anchor Rachel McNeill asked.

"Yes, METRO's board in place during the 2003 election did make that promise. But that hasn't happened. The current METRO board says there isn't the demand for that much of an increase in bus service," Arnold answered.