While gas prices are rising across the nation, they held steady in Florida last week, a new study from AAA finds.
On Monday, AAA released a report finding the national average jumped up more than 5 cents last week to $2.92 a gallon even as prices in the Sunshine State remained even at $2.82 per gallon, the same as they were at the start of last week but still the highest they have been in more than three years. More than a dozen states have prices averaging more than $3.00 a gallon.
Mark Jenkins, a spokesman for AAA and the Auto Club Group, says that prices will rise over the week as Americans get ready to hit the road for Memorial Day, the traditional kickoff to summer. A study from AAA released earlier this month shows more Americans will hit the road this Memorial Day weekend than has the been the case over the past decade.
"Current fundamentals will likely lead gas prices higher before the Memorial Day weekend," Jenkins said on Monday. "Regardless of higher prices at the pump, AAA still forecasts the most holiday road trippers in more than a dozen years. Those with smaller gasoline budgets will find other ways to finance their travel plans, like cutting back on discretionary expenses like shopping or dining out."
The most expensive gas in Florida can be found in the the West Palm Beach-Boca Raton market where prices averaged $2.93 per gallon followed by the Crestview-Fort Walton Beach market at $2.92 per gallon and Pensacola where prices averaged $2.89 per gallon. Punta Gorda and Orlando had the least expensive gas in Florida with prices averaging $2.76 per gallon followed by the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater market where prices stood at an average of $2.77 per gallon.
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