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$4 Gas Becoming Commonplace, Diesel Nears $4.50

Statewide average shoots past $4 in Alaska, Connecticut

By Joe Benton
ConsumerAffairs.com

May 16, 2008

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Average gasoline prices have broken through the $4 mark in Alaska and Connecticut this week and $4 prices are commonplace in parts of many other states.

Regular serve is selling for $4.042 a gallon in Alaska and $4.008 a gallon in Connecticut, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report.

The average national price is now $3.787 cents for a gallon of regular, up 11.6 cents for the week. Mid-grade gasoline sells for an average of $4.021 and premium goes for $4.166 a gallon.

One month ago regular gasoline sold for an average price of $3.399 and one year ago regular sold for $3.114.

Diesel fuel sells for a national average price of $4.482. One month ago a gallon diesel cost $4.365 and one year ago diesel sold for $3.143.

In California, the average price for regular gasoline is above $4 in eight metropolitan areas with San Francisco the highest at $4.046.

The most expensive gasoline in the country, on average, is sold in Chicago for $4.39. Rio Rico, Arizona has the cheapest gallon of regular gasoline at $3.39.

Here is a look at gasoline prices around the country in the ConsumerAffairs.Com Gas Price Round Up.

California: Gas prices in the state continued to break records and prices are close behind prices in Alaska, which broke the $4 average price this week, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.

The price of gasoline this week jumped as much as 3 cents a gallon in the state. The average price of regular self serve gasoline throughout California is now $3.96. One month ago regular gasoline sold for $3.807 in the state and one year ago a gallon cost $3.467.

Regular gasoline sells above $4 in Yuba, Tulare, San Louis Obispo, Fresno, Merced, Salinas, Santa Barbara and San Francisco, according to AAA.

The average price in Los Angeles County is $3.914, up 1.8 cents from last week and a record high.

Orange County prices are up 1.3 cents in a week to $3.886 a gallon.

“Oil industry analysts point to continued spikes in crude oil prices, which have enormously increased the cost of producing gasoline, as the cause of this continued price surge,” Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring said.

Texas: Texans are paying the highest prices ever for a gallon of gasoline as they head into the Memorial Day weekend, according to AAA Texas.

This week, a gallon of regular self serve gasoline averaged a record high $3.68, increasing almost 15 cents in one week.

In Dallas, prices jumped 16 cents to $3.69 a gallon, while the average price hit $3.70 a gallon in Fort Worth, up 16 cents. The average price in Houston rose 13 cents to $3.65 a gallon, Austin prices rose 14 cents to $3.67 a gallon and San Antonio prices rose 15 cents to $3.66 a gallon.

The most expensive gasoline in Texas can be found in Amarillo at $3.71 a gallon, where the average jumped 13 cents. The cheapest gas is found in El Paso at $3.63 a gallon, a weekly increase of 14 cents.

"Record gas prices and tough economic times appear to be forcing some Americans to stay home this holiday," said AAA Texas spokeswoman Rose Rougeau. "The number of people traveling in the U.S. this Memorial Day is expected to drop by less than one percent compared to last year."

Florida: Gas prices set another record high in Florida at $3.807 a gallon but the soaring prices are not hurting tourism across the state because gas prices and the slowing economy are causing more Floridians to take vacations in the state this year.

Tourism increased 3.4 percent in Florida during the first quarter compared to the same period last year. About 24 million people vacationed in Florida, according to the state's marketing agency.

The tourism report shows people are adjusting their travel plans and staying closer to home because of high gas prices.

Arizona: The bad news is Arizona's gasoline price broke another, hitting a high of $3.565 per gallon for self serve unleaded regular.

The good news is Arizona's average gasoline prices are among the lowest in a nation.

Wyoming has the lowest average gasoline prices at $3.58 per gallon, according to AAA.

AAA spokeswoman Linda Gorman said lower demand for gasoline in Southern California has resulted in more fuel being shipped to Arizona. Arizona gets the majority of its gasoline from refineries in California.

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