Even with drastically reduced demand, Southern California prices are approaching almost the same levels they were at a year ago at this time in many areas, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Weekend Gas Watch. Today’s retail statewide average is $3.47 a gallon for regular unleaded, which is four cents higher than last week.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.54 per gallon, which is four cents higher than last week, 25 cents higher than last month, and three cents lower than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $3.51, which is five cents higher than last week, 23 cents more than than last month, and five cents lower than last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.47, which is five cents higher than last week, 20 cents higher than last month, and 12 cents lower than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $3.46, which is four cents higher than last week, 23 cents higher than last month, and one cent lower than last year. In Bakersfield, the $3.38 average price is five cents higher than last week, 18 cents higher than last month, and 17 cents lower than a year ago today.
“According to Oil Price Information Service, fuel demand on the West Coast is 20 percent lower than a year ago, and gas stations have seen their traffic and revenue reduced, giving them more incentive to raise gas prices and keep them at higher levels,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “Local refineries also have adjusted their production to align with lower demand, and oil prices are more than 10 percent higher than they were a year ago at this time.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Feb. 11, averages are:
