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Gas Price Run-up Pauses

Fewer plan to hit the road this July 4th

By Joe Benton
ConsumerAffairs.com

June 27, 2008
The run-up in gasoline prices took a break this week and the cost of a gallon of regular self-serve declined almost a penny, in part because over the past four weeks, gasoline demand fell more than 2 percent, according to the U.S. Energy Department.

The national average price for regular is still well above last year at $4.066 a gallon though. One year ago a gallon of regular gasoline cost $2.975, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report.

Gasoline prices have increased a whopping 37 percent over the last year.

The high gas prices are cutting into both work and recreation.

AAA reports the number of Americans traveling during the Fourth of July holiday will decline. The travel club projects that 40.45 million drivers will travel during the holiday weekend, a decrease of 1.3 percent from the 41 million who traveled last year.

"Clearly gas prices are continuing to take a toll on the traveler's budget," said AAA President and CEO Robert L. Darbelnet in a statement.

Nevertheless, more than 13 percent of the country will be on the roads during the holiday weekend, according to AAA.

California continues to suffer from the hiest average gasoline price in the country at $4.590 a gallon. Missouri enjoys the lowest average gas prices at $3.839 a gallon.

California: While California leads the country with the highest average gasoline prices, the cost of a gallon of regular in the state declined slightly over the week dropping almost 2 cents to $4.59 a gallon.

A new survey by the Automobile Club of Southern California indicates that 41 percent of its members plan to travel about the same amount this summer as last year, while 26 percent plan to take more trips than last year and 33 percent expect to take fewer trips.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.610, which is 1.6 cents less than it was on June 20. In San Diego, the price is $4.596, a drop of 3.4 cents since last week.

The highest average price in California is found in Santa Barbara where regular self-serve sells for $4.672 a gallon. Even that price is down three cents in a week.

The lowest average price in California is found in Modesto at $4.522.

Texas: The average price of gasoline in Texas moved slightly lower during the week.

AAA Texas reported the statewide average for self-serve regular is $3.92 per gallon, down .7 cents since last week.

AAA said Beaumont and the Dallas-Fort Worth areas have the most expensive gasoline this week in Texas at $3.94 per gallon.

Corpus Christi has the least expensive gasoline, averaging $3.88 per gallon.

Florida: Regular gasoline in the Sunshine states averages $4.031 a gallon. One month ago regular sold for $4.944 throughout the state and one year ago regular cost $2.932 in Florida.

Regular gasoline sells for $4.125 a gallon in Miami, $4.04 in Daytona Beach and $3.945 in Orlando.

Virginia: Gasoline prices have declined slightly in the Old Dominion. AAA Mid-Atlantic reported the Virginia average price is now $3.97 a gallon.

The average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline in Richmond is down 2 cents this week and sits at $3.96 per gallon.

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