Instead, councillors at yesterday's community development committee meeting asked for a new staff report on options relating to the road's future use after receiving new information in the past few days.
The decision was made behind closed doors after the debate was moved into the private section of the meeting at the last minute, despite Cr Richard Walls questioning the move because of public interest in the debate.
Committee chairman Cr Paul Hudson said the debate needed to be private to consider the new information - much of it confidential - received by councillors.
Speaking after the meeting, Cr Hudson said the committee had voted almost unanimously - with one councillor opposed - to seek a further report on options relating to the road's future.
He would not identify the councillor who opposed the move, or detail the options still to be considered.
However, he said councillors wanted the issue resolved "sooner rather than later", and the staff report was to be presented to the committee's next meeting on July 14, when a decision was expected.
"We have asked staff to treat the matter with some urgency. It's not something any of us are happy about dragging on any longer," he said.
The road, a scenic coastal route to Lawyers Head, was closed in late 2006 to allow construction of Dunedin's $37 million sewage outfall pipe but has not reopened since the pipe's commissioning in January.
Since its closure, a council report has found wildlife activity in the area had increased and the number of suicides had dropped dramatically.
However, some councillors, led by Cr John Bezett, have called for the road to be reopened, saying an earlier vote authorising its continued closure while an Ocean Beach management plan was completed, was unintended.
