A possible scenario could see a road reinstated through the current pedestrian precinct on Heretaunga St West, past the Hastings clock tower through to Heretaunga St East.
Options remain open on whether to remove the railway fountain to make way for the road connection, or build the road around the fountain.
Business association general manager Jane Janes said a number of business developments were initially interested in the city centre but were turned off by the lack of vehicle and foot traffic through the pedestrian mall area.
"We do have a physical barrier which has divided the city centre. People can't get through directly; tourists and visitors find it hard to get around Hastings and they're tired of having to drive to the end of Russell St to get around the middle of town," Mrs Jane said.
She understood people did not want to see the railway fountain removed.
"The fountain is well loved by the public, but people probably aren't aware of the whole retail strategy we're working on to get bigger shopping options in Hastings.
"It's been shown in a number of studies that malls need two things to work well: retail mix and high volume. We do have a number of banks in there and we don't have a high volume of foot traffic to make it work.
"The east of the city had become a very different scenario to the west, which is what happened when you cut the town in half."
Retailers and business owners in the mall precinct had supported the idea of reintroducing the road, Mrs Janes said.
"We have talked to them and the majority are keen to support this idea and so that's where it sits at the moment. I understand the council is doing the study and I am waiting to hear the outcome."
Kevin Atkinson is the owner of the Westermans Buildings, on the corner of Heretaunga St East and Russell St, opposite the central railway line.
He said he was willing to hear an argument for the road link but did not think it would generate any extra patronage.
"I would have thought the days of tying your horse up outside the shop you want to go to were over.
"Things are different now. We have two big car parks on either side of the central [mall] area where people can walk into town."
Mr Atkinson said Hastings "did not have a heart" and by that he meant a central place or park for people to meet or rest.
"We are part way there with the entertainment platform, but I would hate to think we would lose that if a road goes through," he said.
