Gas price averages pushed through the $3-a-gallon average in most of Southern California in the past week – the first time in 14 months that prices have been this high, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The retail state average is $2.975 a gallon for regular today, 7.2 cents more than last Thursday.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.059 per gallon, which is 7.2 cents higher than last week, 17 cents higher than last month, and 55 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $3.022, which is 6.5 cents higher than last week, 18 cents higher than last month, and 53 cents more than this time last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.081, 9.4 cents more than last week, 19 cents higher than a month ago, and 61 cents higher than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average per-gallon price is $2.988, 5.8 cents more than last week, 18 cents more than this time last month, and 52 cents more than last year.
“It seems that supplies are tight in advance of the April 1 deadline to switch from using winter blend to summer blend gasoline, and that activity, combined with some planned and unplanned refinery maintenance, is pushing prices higher,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “As prices increase, drivers should remember fuel savings tips, including combining errands, slowing down and shopping for the lowest price using a tool such as the free AAA app.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Feb. 23, averages are:
|
Area |
Regular |
1-week change |
Record Price |
|
Los Angeles – Long Beach |
$3.059 |
+7.2 cents |
$4.705 (10/9/12) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Orange County |
$3.060 |
+6.6 cents |
$4.690 (10/8/12) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
San Diego |
$3.022 |
+6.5 cents |
$4.725 (10/8/12) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Santa Barbara – Santa Maria – Lompoc |
$3.081 |
+9.4 cents |
$4.709 (6/21/08) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Riverside – San Bernardino |
$2.988 |
+5.8 cents |
$4.688 (10/8/12) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ventura |
$3.033 |
+7.2 cents |
$4.689 (10/7/12) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bakersfield |
$2.885 |
+4.2 cents |
$4.648 (10/9/12) |