$4 a Gallon for Gas Officially Here in MD

Marylanders continue to pay more to fill up at the pump than much of the est of the country.

The average cost for a gallon of regular unleaded offcially reached $4 on Friday, a four cent increase from a week ago and a 30 cent hike from the same date a week ago, according to the latest AAA survey.

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Nationally, AAA reports that the average cost for regular unleaded fuel was $3.94 a gallon, up a penny from a week ago and 21 cents from the same time a year ago.

According to a AAA news release, the national average is inching closer to the all-time record of $4.11 per gallon set in July 2008 and within four cents of last year’s high of $3.98 set on May 4.

The latest price increase comes as the cost of crude oil closed at $103.29 a barrel on Thursday. AAA reports a factor for the higher gas prices in the Northeast is supply uncertainty thanks to the closure to the ConocoPhillips refinery that closed last October and the impending closure of the Sun Philadelphia refinery, which is set to close July 1 unless a buyer can be found.

Here are some of the cheapest gas prices in the Essex-Middle River area, according to Patch's gas price tracker and MarylandGasPrices.com:

How far will gas prices climb and what will the impact be on the economy? Tell us in the comments section below.