BATON ROUGE - At some stations in Baton Rouge, gas has dropped nearly a dollar from the historic $4.50-per-gallon high last month. 

The state average is currently at $3.81 a gallon, with Baton Rouge at $3.78 — a drop of 58 cents from last month's average of $4.36 a gallon.

This is something federal officials are claiming as a major victory for those struggling to pay for gas.

"The prices that were here a month ago? I wouldn't have paid them for sure," Baton Rouge native Kenneth Brister said.

"The collective release from the United States and our allies has reduced gas prices by about 40 cents a gallon compared to where we would be, had the president not directed that action and worked with our international partners," Brian Dees with the National Economics Council said.

And for local drivers like Brister, he says the reduction helps to put the saved money toward other expenses, like his electric bill.

"Prices always go up during the summer time because you're using your air conditioner more, you're in and out the house a whole lot, but the prices that they're giving now is flat out ridiculous," Brister said. "It's crazy. No one can live with those prices. So, yes, we can put it towards our Entergy bill, or Entergy can lower our prices."

And this decline in gas prices is expected to continue.

WBRZ spoke with LSU professor Greg Upton last month when gas was at an all-time high. Now, he says prices should be cheaper within a couple of months.

"So once the fall comes — and gasoline demand just reduces during the fall typically, relative to the summer — we'll see prices go down a little bit. Future markets are anticipating by next spring, they'll be at around $3 per gallon," Upton said.

But the overall goal? Maybe something a bit more affordable.

"Please bring it back to 25 cents per gallon. My father told me it was good times back then. They could go anywhere. 25 cents per gallon. We need that," Brister said.