More than a month of price declines and three straight weeks of double-digit decreases have brought Southern California gas price averages below $4 a gallon and within a penny of prices this time last year in most areas, 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 $3.925 per gallon, which is 13.2 cents less than last week, 44 cents lower than last month, and one penny higher than last year. In San Diego, the price is $3.892, 13.1 cents below last week, 45 cents below last month, and nine-tenths of a cent higher than last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.985, down 12.3 cents from last week, 40 cents lower than a month ago, and 5 cents above last year. In the Inland Empire, the average per gallon price is $3.888, down 13.2 cents from last week, 46 cents lower than last month, and three-tenths of one cent more than last year.
“The last time gas prices started tumbling down at this record pace was in July 2008,” said Auto Club spokesperson Jeffrey Spring. “The drop is great news for July Fourth travelers and may encourage even more trips than AAA’s projected 5 percent increase in holiday travel compared to 2011.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on June 21, averages are:
Area | Regular | One-week change | Record Price |
Los Angeles – Long Beach | $3.925 | -13.2 cents | $4.626 (6/21/08) |
Orange County | $3.880 | -12.8 cents | $4.598 (6/19/08) |
San Diego | $3.892 | -13.1 cents | $4.630 (6/19/08) |
Santa Barbara – Santa Maria – Lompoc | $3.985 | -12.3 cents | $4.709 (6/21/08) |
Riverside – San Bernardino | $3.888 | -13.2 cents | $4.614 (6/22/08) |
Bakersfield | $3.983 | -10.6 cents | $4.591 (6/24/08) |
Ventura | $3.920 | -13.8 cents | $4.625 (6/18/08) |