Gas price increases in Southern California have slowed after topping the $3 average mark in all major metropolitan areas except Bakersfield, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The retail statewide average reached $3 a gallon today for the first time in nearly a year and a half when it rose 2.5 cents from last Thursday.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.065 per gallon, which is six-tenths of a cent higher than last week, 15 cents higher than last month, and 47 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $3.044, which is 2.2 cents higher than last week, 16 cents higher than last month, and 52 cents more than this time last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.094, 1.3 cents more than last week, 17 cents higher than a month ago, and 58 cents higher than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average per-gallon price is $3.002, 1.4 cents more than last week, 15 cents more than this time last month, and 49 cents more than last year.
“California and Hawaii are now the only two states with an average price at or above $3 a gallon,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “However, wholesale fuel prices have moved very little in over a week, indicating the supply situation in Southern California is stable enough not to drive prices higher, but still tight enough to prevent a decline.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on March 9, averages are:
Area |
Regular |
1-week change |
Record Price |
Los Angeles – Long Beach |
$3.065 |
+0.6 cent |
$4.705 (10/9/12) |
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Orange County |
$3.059 |
-0.1 cent |
$4.690 (10/8/12) |
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San Diego |
$3.044 |
+2.2 cents |
$4.725 (10/8/12) |
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Santa Barbara – Santa Maria – Lompoc |
$3.094 |
+1.3 cents |
$4.709 (6/21/08) |
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Riverside – San Bernardino |
$3.002 |
+1.4 cents |
$4.688 (10/8/12) |
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Ventura |
$3.046 |
+1.3 cents |
$4.689 (10/7/12) |
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Bakersfield |
$2.918 |
+3.3 cents |
$4.648 (10/9/12) |