(LOS ANGELES, May 23, 2008) - Continued pressure from the sharp increase in crude oil prices has raised Southern California fuel prices to new records, pushing two more regions and the state average for regular gasoline beyond $4 per gallon in time for Memorial Day weekend, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.959, which is 4.5 cents more than last week, 10 cents higher than last month, and 52 cents above last year. In San Diego, the price is $4.009, which is 4.4 cents higher than last week's price, 13 cents above last month, and 57 cents higher than last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $4.109, up 7.6 cents from last week, 15.5 cents above last month, and 53 cents more than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average price is $3.968, 3.3 cents over last week, up 10 cents from last month, and 53 cents higher than last year.
"California now joins Alaska, Connecticut, New York and Illinois as states with an average price for regular above $4," said Auto Club spokesperson Jeffrey Spring. "In Southern California, San Diego and Bakersfield now have an average of above $4. They join Santa Barbara and a number of northern California cities. The reason for high prices remains the same - a continued spike in crude oil prices, which have enormously increased the cost of producing gasoline."
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m., May 23:
Area | Regular | One-week change | Record Price |
Los Angeles - Long Beach | $3.959 | + 4.5 cents | $3.959 (5/22/08) |
Orange County | $3.941 | + 5.5 cents | $3.941 (5/22/08) |
San Diego | $4.009 | + 4.4 cents | $4.009 (5/22/08) |
Santa Barbara - Santa Maria - Lompoc | $4.109 | + 7.6 cents | $4.109 (5/22/08) |
Riverside - San Bernardino | $3.968 | + 3.3 cents | $3.968 (5/22/08) |
Bakersfield | $4.019 | + 6.0 cents | $4.019 (5/22/08) |
Las Vegas, NV | $3.740 | + 5.3 cents | $3.740 (5/22/08) |