Los Angeles gas prices fall for 16th day in a row, likely to keep dropping
LADWP’s Gas-Fix program may finally be starting to work
The price of gas on Dec. 16 climbed to its highest level in almost three years, as a strong dollar and higher heating costs make driving cheaper.
From Tuesday through Thursday, the price of regular unleaded averaged $3.93 in Los Angeles County and $4.34 statewide, the AAA auto club said. From Oct. 27 to Monday, the average was $3.98.
The price fluctuates up and down over the course of a few days; the last time prices broke $4 a gallon was in mid-July.
But the big spike in prices is not expected to persist.
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Gas prices in Southern California remain lower than they were in July 2013, according to the AAA auto club.
While the price of regular unleaded has been trending up for the past year or so, it’s still lower than it was in 2012, the year prices peaked at $4.22 per gallon.
In November 2012, gas was $3.91, according to AAA. In 2011, prices were $3.86; and, in 2010, they were $3.80, AAA’s report said. In 1998 and 1997, they were $4.12 and $4.28.
“It has been a long stretch, but we have definitely seen an upward trend,” said Chris Raguso, vice president of gas, oil and petroleum at the AAA auto club.
“It’s the same trend we saw in 2008 and 2009,” Raguso said. “Gas stations are seeing a strong demand for the pump.”
The pump price has dropped in recent months as fuel costs have gone up, but prices have been volatile.
Gas prices were nearly $3.00 per gallon in October and rose to nearly $4.00 per gallon in November.
In April, a year before the price spike, prices were $3.78.
“There are some signs that this trend is reversing,” Raguso said. “That might be indicative of the new economy, driving less because they don’t need as much gas.
“One day, it will go up again but we just don’t know when. But if they keep going up,