COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – As predicted the average cost of a gallon of gasoline in Columbus resumed it’s expected decline after refinery maintenance around the country halted a recent trend of falling prices at the pump. According to GasBuddy’s survey of 500 stations in the Columbus area, the average price at the pump dropped by 13 cents per gallon last week to reach $3.10. The current price is 3 cents lower per gallon than last month and 18.5 cents per gallon lower than this time one year ago. The cheapest gas station in the Columbus area was priced at $2.61 a gallon, while the most expensive was $3.39, a difference of 78 cents per gallon. In Ohio, the average price of gas also dropped 15.2 cents from $3.18 per gallon to $3.03 per gallon. Columbus Gas Prices Tracker Nationally, gas prices also experienced a small decline of 4.6 cents per gallon to reach $3.13, while the price of diesel continues to hit new lows since January 2022, settling at $3.54 per gallon. According to GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis Patrick De Haan, the overall outlook remains promising for most states across the country, but disruptive weather in the Gulf of Mexico and last week’s attack on Israel by Iran could cause prices to rise temporarily. "In addition to the escalation in the Middle East, hurricane season remains active, with Hurricane Milton now heading toward a likely landfall in Florida,” said De Haan. “For now, motorists in most areas can expect to see more increases in gas prices, but I remain hopeful that a $2.99 national average remains possible this fall."