Heading into the Labor Day holiday weekend, Southern California cities experienced price increases from a few pennies to more than six cents a gallon for regular unleaded on the Central Coast, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Weekend Gas Watch. The state average is $4.153 a gallon for regular today.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.161 per gallon, which is 4.2 cents more than last week, 32 cents higher than last month, and 33 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the price is $4.135, 3.3 cents above last week, 32 cents above last month, and 30 cents higher than last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $4.210, up 6.2 cents from last week, 35 cents higher than a month ago, and 34 cents above last year. In the Inland Empire, the average per gallon price is $4.130, up 3.5 cents from last week, 34 cents higher than last month, and 33 cents more than last year.
“Due the price spike earlier this month, Labor Day weekend travelers will be paying the highest gas prices ever for this holiday,” said Auto Club spokesperson Jeffrey Spring. “However, more than 1.85 million Southern Californians are expected to drive to their destinations, an increase of 3.6 percent over the 1.79 million who traveled by car last year.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Aug. 30, averages are:
Area | Regular | One-week change | Record Price |
Los Angeles – Long Beach | $4.161 | +4.2 cents | $4.626 (6/21/08) |
Orange County | $4.136 | +4.0 cents | $4.598 (6/19/08) |
San Diego | $4.135 | +3.3 cents | $4.630 (6/19/08) |
Santa Barbara – Santa Maria – Lompoc | $4.240 | +6.2 cents | $4.709 (6/21/08) |
Riverside – San Bernardino | $4.130 | +3.5 cents | $4.614 (6/22/08) |
Bakersfield | $4.138 | +2.1 cents | $4.591 (6/24/08) |
Ventura | $4.160 | +4.9 cents | $4.625 (6/18/08) |