Today’s fuel price musings - a penny saved is a penny earned

Add comment May 13th, 2008

Here’s an interesting question. Are gasoline prices typically higher on tollway oases and just off interstate exits than in nearby cities and towns? Supposedly they were historically, but not so much now. Have you noticed a change? Let me know here or at tbona@rrstar.com

Now on to the prices (data courtesy of AAA’s fuelgaugereport.com):

Gasoline: Rockford’s price dropped (for once) by a penny and a half to $3.81 a gallon today. Three other metro areas dropped slightly today, but less than we did, sending us down to eighth in the state. (Think we have it bad? Chicago is up to $3.97, East St. Louis is at $3.90 and Springfield is at $3.88.) The record state average increased about a cent to $3.90 a gallon. The record national average increased more than a cent to $3.73 a gallon. Illinois has the fifth-highest gas prices in the nation.

Diesel: No good news here. Rockford increased five cents, moving its record to $4.45 a gallon. Every metro area in the state rose by at least two cents, and three of them rose more than we did. We’re tied with Springfield for the third-highest diesel prices in the state. The record state average rose almost four cents to $4.46 a gallon. The record national average increased three cents to $4.39 a gallon. Illinois has the 13th-highest prices in the country.