The New Zealand Automobile Association's Otago district council is again calling for a compromise on John Wilson Ocean Dr, before a crucial meeting today that could decide the road's future use.
Councillors at today's Dunedin City Council meeting will vote on whether to send the issue back to the council's community development committee, as suggested by Cr Bill Acklin, to study new options for the road's future use.
A "yes" vote would keep the debate alive, while a "no" vote would mean councillors were sticking by an earlier decision to keep the road permanently closed to vehicles.
However, NZAA Otago district council chairman Jack Crawford on Saturday issued a statement calling for a "suitable compromise" to be considered, allowing motorists and other users to share the road.
That was based on results of a survey sent to about 7000 association members in Dunedin last week, of which 1586 were returned, he said.
The results showed 66.9% did not believe the road should be permanently closed to vehicles, while 30.3% supported the vehicle ban.
However, results from other survey questions also showed members would be "happy to accept compromise", perhaps by allowing vehicles from 9am to 5pm each day.
That would give "the self-propelled community free rein the rest of the time", including evenings during daylight savings, he said.
Continuing the vehicle ban would mean "very few" people would use the road when the weather was poor, he argued.
"These results come as no surprise to me. AA membership these days is pretty representative of the adult community at large.
"It seems to me that with a little bit of thought, access to the drive can be organised in a manner that would suit most visitors to the area."
It was the second time the association had surveyed its members about John Wilson Ocean Dr, after similar consultation before last year's public hearing, where it argued for shared use of the road.
Arguments at the hearing had included those for and against vehicle access, a vehicle ban or shared use of the road.
The panel eventually recommended upgrading the road for shared use, with a walking and cycling pathway and other facilities to cater for motorists, cyclists, pedestrians and other users.
Councillors initially backed a proposal to spend $487,519 on the upgrade, but last month voted to remove the funding from the 2011-12 draft annual plan, which would also be confirmed at today's meeting.
