Gas prices are flowing upward again.

According to the latest figures from AAA Northern California, prices in the Sacramento area gained 16 cents in the past four weeks.

The cost per gallon of regular unleaded has topped $3 at many locations. But it could be worse.

“Motorists will soon enter the traditional time of year when demand for fuel rises, as more people hit the road,” AAA spokesman Matt Skryja said in a press release. “This demand jump typically helps to bump up the pump price. In the short term, demand remains quite soft, which is helping to keep gas and oil prices from drifting dramatically higher.”

In Auburn, the price for a gallon of regular unleaded late last week ranged from $2.91 at the Arco station located at the Foresthill exit of Interstate 80, to $3.09 at the Chevron across the street.

At Auburn Gas & Food in Downtown, the price was $3.05.

“We’ve kept our price down as much as possible,” a spokesman for owner Ray Sidhu said. “It was $2.99 until four days ago.”

Sidhu expects the cost to go up another 10 cents during the next few days, but said that won’t impact his price. However, in the long term, prices likely will come down because of the economy, he said.

At Rowdy Randy’s in Downtown, the cash price for regular unleaded was $2.99 a gallon, but $3.09 if paying with credit card.

Customer Pat Whitechat of Auburn said she “absolutely seeks out the lowest gas prices.”

“I’ve changed my driving pattern over the last couple of years,” Whitechat said. “I plan a route and I don’t diverge from it.”

Cool resident Kathy Custard said she tracks prices, too.

“(When prices go up), we limit our trips into town and try to do as much as we can in one run, so we’re not traveling through the canyon every day,” she said.

Rowdy Randy’s has seen the market price go up about 30 cents over the past few weeks, cashier Dan Scharenberg said.

“People drive less (when prices rise),” he said.

With a 10-cent difference in cash and credit purchases, he’s seeing in increase in cash purchases, too.

“If someone buys 10 gallons of gas, that’s a dollar,” he said. “It adds up.”

The Valero in Old Town Auburn was listing a $3.03 cash price and $3.07 credit price for regular unleaded.

“The suppliers are charging more, so that’s why we’re charging more,” cashier Sameer Walia said.

So far he hasn’t received any complaints from customers, he said.

“The price has been hovering near $3 for a long time, “ he said. “If it gets to $3.50, customers will start talking about it. But the way the economy is, I don’t think (the price) will go that high.”

Among the factors contributing to the upward trend in retail gas prices are the fluctuations in the strength of the U.S. dollar. In addition, refineries are in the process of switching over to summer blended fuels, AAA said.

The Journal’s Gloria Young can be reached at gloriay@goldcountrymedia.com.