(LOS ANGELES, Oct. 5, 2007) – Gas prices continued creeping up slightly throughout the Southland this week, getting closer to or surpassing the $3-a-gallon mark in most regions, 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 $2.975, which is 1.4 cents higher than last week, 23 cents above last month, and 29 cents more than last year. In San Diego, the price is $3.002, which is 1.3 cents above last week's price, 18 cents up from last month, and 41 cents higher than last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.114, up 1.6 cents from last week, 16 cents above last month, and 16 cents more than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average price is $2.973, 1.5 cents more than last week, 22 cents above last month, and 34 cents higher than last year.
"Prices have been increasing for the past five weeks in Southern California, but in the last 14 days most areas have seen prices rise by less than a nickel," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "Prices in most other states have been dropping after hovering over $3 a gallon for much of the summer, and California is once again in the familiar position of having higher gas prices than any other state except Hawaii."
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m., Oct. 5:
| Area | Regular | One-week change | Record price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles – Long Beach | $2.975 | + 1.4 cents | $3.487 (5/9/2007) |
| Orange County | $2.949 | + 2.8 cents | $3.479 (5/8/2007) |
| San Diego | $3.002 | + 1.3 cents | $3.503 (5/8/2007) |
| Santa Barbara - Santa Maria - Lompoc | $3.114 | + 1.6 cents | $3.614 (5/15/2007) |
| Riverside - San Bernardino | $2.973 | + 1.5 cents | $3.486 (5/8/2007) |
| Bakersfield | $2.983 | + 0.8 cent | $3.489 (5/7/2007) |
| Las Vegas, NV | $2.760 | + 0.6 cent | $3.209 (5/29/2007) |
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