GULF SHORES — Alabama gas prices are on the rise, but remain lower than the national average of $3.49 per gallon of regular gas.
According to AAA, the average price in Alabama is $3.05 per gallon.
Some counties in Alabama are still averaging under $3, though that is not expected to last long. Cherokee, Clay, Colbert, Dale, Etowah, Lauderdale, Lee, Marshall, Morgan, Talladega and Walker Counties are all averaging at or below the $3 mark. Drivers are paying the most in Alabama’s Black Belt, where Perry County leads the state with prices at $3.33 per gallon.
The increase is due in part to the Iran conflict, although prices were already rising as demand for travel picked up. Refineries also begin producing “summer-blend” gasoline in March each year, which drives up prices. According to American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, the EPA requires summer-blend gasoline to meet performance and environmental specifications.
Drivers can expect to pay around 30 cents more this year for Spring Break travel, and higher prices are typically seen in coastal areas. For those heading to the beach, the current average price per gallon in Mobile County is $3.10 per gallon, and Baldwin County is slightly lower at $3.06 per gallon.
In Gulf Shores, some visitors said the higher gas prices will not impact travel.
“We’re from Minnesota, so prices are much higher up there,” one tourist told 1819 News. “It will not affect our travel because we only travel at specific times.”
Amelia from Pennsylvania agreed, saying prices in Alabama are still much lower than in most places she’s been.
“They’re low here for me,” Amelia said. “This is cheap for me. Even with the increase, I’m probably going to continue to travel.”
However, Sue from Michigan said higher diesel prices will affect her family's travel this spring.
“We drive a diesel, and diesel just shot right up all of a sudden,” she said. “It’s disappointing for sure. Hopefully, they will go back down.”
The average price of diesel per gallon is $4.66 nationally and $4.44 in Alabama.
GasBuddy offers a tool to help drivers find the lowest prices. The website studied prices for a year and found that the lowest prices are available on Sundays and Mondays.
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