Gas prices lower in eastern N.C.
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on December 24, 2007 1:45 PM
Officials at AAA Carolinas in Charlotte expected the holiday gasoline prices to drop after Thanksgiving but still remain 30 percent above the cost per gallon last Christmas.
Eastern North Carolina prices are below those in the western part of the state, which has gas for about $3.03 a gallon. Raleigh's price per gallon was about $2.95, still well above the 2006 Christmas cost of $2.27 but below Thanksgiving's $3.07 mark.
Still, the Raleigh numbers are better than the national average of $2.99 a gallon, which is up 70 cents from 2006. And Wilmington has the lowest metro area rate at $2.91.
AAA of the Carolinas conducted a pre-holiday survey and found record numbers of Carolinians saying they plan to travel more than 50 miles from home. More than 1.64 million North Carolinians are expected to drive during the holidays - up 1.5 percent from last year. This will be the fifth straight year holiday auto travel in the Carolinas has increased.