COLUMBUS – The price of gasoline in central Ohio is at its lowest level since late September and can be found for less than $2 a gallon in several areas.
The retail price of a gallon of regular gasoline in Columbus fell for the second week in a row to $2.17, the 32 cents cheaper than two weeks ago and the lowest price since Sept. 25, according to a daily survey from the auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and WEX, Inc.
The website GasBuddy.com showed the lowest price was $1.97, reported at Noe Bixby and Refugee Roads on the Southeast Side but prices below $2 were seen in other parts of town as well.
Ohio saw the third-largest month-to-month price drop in the nation and drivers were paying some of the country’s lowest prices at the pump (see above).
Ohio’s statewide average price of $2.26 a gallon on Monday was 11 cents lower than a week ago and well below the national average of $2.53.
The national gas price average has been steadily decreasing for nearly two weeks dropping from the year-to-date high of $2.61 on Feb, 5, according to the AAA.
The drop is partly attributable to lower crude oil costs and healthy U.S. gasoline inventories, which were 4.3 million barrels above the five-year average last week, according to the AAA.