Could it be that gas price flood waters are about to recede?

After months of steady increases, the average price of a gallon of regular dipped slightly Friday, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic.

We're not talking about anything dramatic here, but that price dropped four-tenths of a cent between Thursday and Friday -- going from $3.986 to $3.982. By itself that wouldn't mean much, but crude oil prices have been declining this week after last week's killing of Osama bin Laden. And on Thursday the price of crude -- the biggest factor in gas prices -- took a tumble of nearly 10 percent.

If this does prove to be a market top, prices would fall short of the 2008 Maryland record of $4.05. Stay tuned. The next week could tell whether travel will be constrained by gas prices or freed up by an otherwise expanding economy.