Hawaii Gas Prices Highest In US,Generally Decrease Nationally

Gas prices nationally are down to an average of $2.58 a gallon, but motorists are still paying more than they were a year ago to fill up their vehicles, according to the new report from the AAA auto club group. The average price was down 3 cents from last week, but 6 cents more than a month ago and 30 cents more than a year ago.

At 53 percent of gas stations across the country, gas was selling for $2.50 a gallon or less, and in 78 percent of the states, motorists saw lower prices Monday than they did a year ago. The lower prices dominated in the Midwest, South and East Coast, the auto club said.

The biggest declines were in Indiana, down 14 cents; Michigan, down 11 cents; Kentucky, down 9 cents; Ohio, down 8 cents; and Illinois.

Motorists in some states are still feeling the pinch. In Hawaii, for example, gas was up 5 cents per gallon to an average of $3.44, and motorists in California and Washington paid a penny more, at $3.35 and $3.04 a gallon. Gas prices in Oregon were unchanged at $2.89 a gallon.

AAA’s Jeanette Casselano said it’s too early to tell if the one-week decline is the start of a trend toward lower gas prices.

The cheapest gas in Honolulu was at Hele, 2260 Kamehameha Highway and Laumaka Street, where gas was selling for $3.22 a gallon Monday, according to GasBuddy.com.

Here’s a look at trends by region from AAA:

Great Lakes and Central states: Gas prices are down everywhere except North Dakota, where they remained stable.

South and Southeast: In all but one state, gas was cheaper Monday. Mississippi led the region with decreases of 4 cents. Florida saw a 4-cent increase to $2.64 percent a gallon, the 13th most expensive state in the country. Six states in the region ranked among the 10 cheapest for gas: Texas ($2.33), Mississippi ($2.33), South Carolina ($2.34), Alabama ($2.34), Arkansas ($2.37) and Oklahoma ($2.38).

Mid-Atlantic and Northeast: The states with the largest declines include Maryland and North Carolina (down 4 cents); Delaware, Maine, Tennessee, and Washington, D.C., (down 3 cents). All other states saw prices drop 1 or 2 cents. The most expensive gas prices in the region are $2.86 in Pennsylvania and $2.41 in Virginia. The biggest month-over-month increase was in New Jersey (11 cents).

Rockies: Utah saw a 6-cent increase in gas, while Idaho saw prices increase 3 cents. In Colorado and Wyoming, gas prices decreased by about a penny. Gas prices remained steady in Montana, but at $2.61 a gallon, motorists there are paying the most for to fill up in the region.

Patch file photo by Ashley Ludwig