Drivers across Michigan are digging deeper into their wallets this week, with the state seeing an 18-cent spike in gas prices, according to AAA-The Auto Club. The current average price for regular unleaded fuel now stands at $3.30 per gallon, marking a one-cent increase from the previous month, yet fortunately, still 19 cents lower than the prices reported at the same time last year, as per CBS News Detroit.
In the busy lanes of Metro Detroit, the week-to-week rise tallied at 12 cents more for a gallon of gas. "Despite the slight decrease in demand, Michigan motorists are seeing much higher prices at the pump," Adrienne Woodland, spokesperson for AAA-The Auto Club Group, said, per CBS News Detroit. This mirrors the sentiments echoed by Patrick De Haan of GasBuddy, who pointed to a temporarily offline refinery in the Midwest as a contributing factor to the sharp price jumps witnessed not only in Michigan but across Ohio and Wisconsin as well.
Detailed surveys by GasBuddy highlight that, in Detroit, gas prices currently fluctuate, with the cheapest station price logged at $2.79 on Sunday, while the priciest spiked to $3.99, with the highest in the state reaching a staggering $5.75. Nationally, the average price of gasoline has ticked up three cents, resting at $3.12, GasBuddy reported, marking an 18-cent drop from last year's figures.
The trek to Traverse City, Ann Arbor, and Lansing comes at a premium, with the areas posting the highest averages of $3.34, $3.33, and $3.32, respectively. In contrast, Flint, Marquette, and Benton Harbor offer some relief, with the lowest averages priced at $3.23, $3.24, and $3.29, respectively, WXYZ reported. As Labor Day approaches, prices may hold or potentially increase, as suggested by Adrienne Woodland, leaving travelers and daily commuters bracing for impact.
