COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Despite a modest increase in area gas prices last week, experts believe the cost of a gallon of gasoline will continue to trend downward, approaching $3 per gallon sooner than later. According to GasBuddy’s survey of 500 stations in the Columbus area, the average price at the pump increased by 8.9 cents per gallon last week to reach $3.19. The current price is 21.5 cents per gallon higher than last month and 4.0 cents per gallon higher than this time one year ago. The cheapest gas station in the Columbus area was priced at $2.85 a gallon, while the most expensive was $3.53, a difference of 68 cents per gallon. In Ohio, the average price of gas also rose 11.0 cents from $3.03 per gallon to $3.14 per gallon. Columbus Gas Prices Tracker Nationally, gas prices also experienced a small incline of 3.3 cents per gallon to reach $3.16, while the price of diesel continues to hit new lows since January 2022, settling at $3.57 per gallon. According to GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis Patrick De Haan, the overall outlook remains promising for most states across the country, now that the disruptive weather in Florida and Gulf Coast regions has subsided. "With oil prices recently starting to fall again, the rise we saw could end before you know it,” said De Haan. “And with restoration happening in Florida, we could start to see a decline in gas prices in the weeks ahead, with a good chance of seeing the first sub-$3 per gallon national average since 2021."