Hitting the road: Gas prices rise as weather warms
By Rochelle Moore
Published in News on April 15, 2017 1:27 PM
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News-Argus/SETH COMBS
Gas prices at the Sheets on Spence Avenue listed at $2.28 a gallon for regular unleaded as of Friday.
Gasoline prices are at their highest mark in 19 months and prices will continue to rise based on consumer demand.
The price of gasoline started to increase in late March and will continue as gas stations make the transition over to summer-fuel blends, a cleaner-burning fuel that costs more but evaporates less, said Tiffany Wright, AAA Carolinas public relations manager.
The average price of gasoline in North Carolina is $2.30 per gallon, 40 cents higher than the average a year ago, according to AAA Carolinas.
The highest prices in the state are in the Asheville area, which is averaging at $2.33 per gallon. The lowest prices are in Wilmington where the average cost is $2.25 per gallon. Prices in Fayetteville are $2.32 per gallon, Charlotte is averaging at $2.27 per gallon and the Raleigh and Durham area is at $2.31 per gallon, Wright said.
Some gas stations in the Goldsboro area are selling gasoline at about 10 cents lower than the state average.
During the past month, prices across North Carolina have increased by 12 cents per gallon. Prices have also increased by 6 cents per gallon during the past week, Wright said.
This year's higher cost is due to increased motorist travel, which creates a greater demand.
"It's a supply and demand issue," Wright said. "Gas prices have steadily increased across the nation. We still have an abundant supply. What's really driving it is demand. Folks are hitting the road."
The national average price of gasoline is $2.40 per gallon, with the American Automobile Association predicting national prices could peak as high as $2.70 per gallon in the summer.
The price of gas in North Carolina isn't expected to reach as high as the national average or the $2.70-per-gallon mark. Driving activity during the next several weeks is expected to determine how high prices could climb, Wright said.
"As we head into the summer driving season, gas prices will continue to be a major factor for motorists," said Dave Parsons, AAA Carolinas chief executive officer. "We can't predict how high prices will rise before they level off, because that will largely depend on the amount of travelers we will see driving to their vacation destinations.
"The demand will dictate the prices we'll pay at gas stations throughout the Carolinas in the upcoming weeks."
A recent AAA survey found that 60 percent of Americans say they will consider traveling closer to home this summer if gas prices increase above current levels. More than 70 percent will also make daily adjustments by driving less or consolidating trips closer to home.
The price climb is typical in the spring and eventually decreases around Labor Day, as summer travel reduces and children return to school.
"That's when we might see prices start to trend down," Wright said.