Oct. 11--Eastern Iowans are feeling a little less pain at the gas pump. It's amazing how $3 a gallon is viewed on the way down after being feared so much on the way up.

"It's certainly something I'm happy about," said Ryan Carter, 33, of Cedar Rapids. He was filling up at the BP station, 2601 Williams Blvd. SW, with unleaded plus for $2.96 a gallon late this week.

But Marty Greubel, 42, of Cedar Rapids, said prices still are too high. When gas costs were at their peak, he said, filling his sport utility vehicle cost around $100. That's dropped to around $80 now. His family's other vehicle, a Ford Expedition, costs even more to fill.

The national average price was around $3.45 per gallon going into the weekend, down 16 percent from the all-time high in July. Iowa had the fourth-lowest average in the United States, about $3 a gallon. At this time last year, the national average was around $2.75 a gallon.

"Unfortunately now, prices are dropping because of the economy, so I guess it's a mixed blessing," Carter said about the gas prices.

Most of the drivers The Gazette talked to said high summer prices hadn't affected their travel plans.

Prices spiked in the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav, when refineries in the Gulf of Mexico shut down, before starting to drop.

"I guess since it's not hurricane season anymore, they don't have an excuse to raise prices anymore," said Robert Calloway, 37, of Iowa City.

Miranda Pierson, an 18-year-old Kirkwood Community College student, was filling up Thursday night at Murphy USA in the Wal-Mart parking lot, 3601 29th Ave. SW, where gas was $2.90 a gallon.

"I drive more now," Pierson said. "I'm not as concerned about filling up my car."

-- Contact the writer: (319) 398-8240 or alyssa.cashman@gazcomm.com

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