COLUMBUS – Gas prices in central Ohio rose for the fifth week in a row to their highest level in nearly three years as oil prices spiked, demand skyrocketed and refineries made the switch to the more expensive summer blend of fuel.
The average retail price of a gallon of regular gasoline in Columbus Monday morning was $2.71, 9 cents higher than a week earlier and 31 cents higher than on March 19 when the steady price climb began, according to a daily survey of prices by the auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and WEX, Inc.
The price was the highest since pump prices in Ohio rose to $2.87 during August 2015, the AAA said, but oil industry analyst Trilby Lundberg that the jump was driven primarily by rising crude oil costs and prices nationwide may have peaked.
“Not only is this higher crude oil price built into the retail price now…but we also have more of the higher-cost summer-blend gasoline inside the retail price as well so moist of those two big factors are spent,” she said.
The statewide average price of $2.69 was 10 cents higher than a week ago but was still lower than the nationwide average of $2.76.