kcentv.com - KCEN HD - Waco, Temple, and KilleenBusinesses and Towns Prepare For High Gas Prices

It won't be long until we see gas at $4 a gallon. Analysts estimate gas prices will go to a sky high $5 a gallon by the end of Summer.

"I'd wish it go down to where a working man could make a living," says Jimmy Kunze, a Lorena resident, about the predicted hike.

Richard White, who has lived in Waco his whole life, says there's just nothing to do about it. "There's no way around it, either you pay it or stay home," says White.

And even though it might be bad for drivers, businesses and cities have some mixed reaction to the prediction. Some businesses and towns on I-35 are preparing for the worst, while some expect the best.

But aside from drivers having to fork over more cash, restaurants like George's in Waco, hope to dodge a bullet. Since at least 20% of their business rolls right off the highway.

"Families need every bit to put in their car to travel. And it's a big expense when it starts costing you $100 to fill up a Suburban. And so any time you have a big expense, one last thing they're spending money on is food," says George's owner, Sammy Citrano.

Waco and towns down Texas highways expect to see a difference in business. Less drivers usually means less spending, but the city remains optimistic.

"People will have to make choices on how they want to spend their expendable income. Once they buy their necessities to carry on their day to day lives, but most of the time they'll take some time out to do the things they like to do," says Lesly Rascoe, with The Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce.

Even though businesses on I-35 hope drivers don't cut back on spending, there is a bright side for cities like Waco, who with so many attractions are hoping that "Stay-cations" are on more families' minds this year.

From the Cameron Park Zoo...to the Dr.Pepper Museum.

The Waco Convention and Visitor's Bureau says the city has everything for locals to have a good vacation.

"We have so many attractions and we have new attractions coming into town so all of that plays in to the hole scheme of being a destination of choice," says Elizabeth Taylor with the Waco Convention and Visitor's Bureau.

Sammy is already preparing for the worst, but hopes customers keep streaming in. "We have to buy smarter and we have to keep our prices in a price range that people continue to come back," says Citrano.

Gas prices generally start to climb around this time of year, when refineries begin producing fuels formulated for summer use.

Those mixes are more expensive to make than the winter formulas.

That yearly bump coupled with the threat of an armed conflict between Israel and Iran, one of the world's largest fuel suppliers is one of the many reasons for our fuel prices now.

Reporter: Tania Ortega Email: tortega@kcentv.com

Photographer: Chris Buford