More Southern California gas stations began removing “3” digits in their price signs last week as local prices continued dropping for the third straight week in most areas, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The retail statewide average is $2.973 a gallon for regular unleaded, 1.2 cents lower than a week ago.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.012 per gallon, which is 1.5 cents lower than last week, three cents lower than last month, and 13 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $3.006, which is 1.9 cents lower than last week, three-tenths of one cent lower than last month, and 17 cents more than this time last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.090, half a cent less than last week, five cents higher than a month ago, and 22 cents higher than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average per-gallon price is $2.969, 1.4 cents less than last week, nine cents more than this time last month, and 32 cents more than last year.
“Los Angeles wholesale and rack prices have both dropped by 20 to 25 cents in the last three weeks from their record high points for the year, so there may now be some downward pressure for prices at the pump,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “We’ve seen oil prices drop dramatically as domestic production has increased, although prices have rebounded a bit in recent days.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on March 30, averages are:
|
Area |
Regular |
1-week change |
Record Price |
|
Los Angeles – Long Beach |
$3.012 |
-1.5 cents |
$4.705 (10/9/12) |
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Orange County |
$2.997 |
-1.3 cents |
$4.690 (10/8/12) |
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San Diego |
$3.006 |
-1.9 cents |
$4.725 (10/8/12) |
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|
Santa Barbara – Santa Maria – Lompoc |
$3.090 |
-0.5 cent |
$4.709 (6/21/08) |
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Riverside – San Bernardino |
$2.969 |
-1.4 cents |
$4.688 (10/8/12) |
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Ventura |
$3.004 |
-2.2 cents |
$4.689 (10/7/12) |
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Bakersfield |
$2.939 |
-0.6 cent |
$4.648 (10/9/12) |