Gas prices rising ahead of July 4th weekend
CHICAGO - If you’re taking your car for a holiday getaway this Independence Day prepare for some of the highest gas prices we’ve seen all year.
AAA says the national average price of gas is at $3.09 and going up.
The auto club says a record-breaking 43.6 million Americans will hit the road between Thursday and Monday.
Gas prices could go up another nickel by the end of the weekend.
The rising price has led a lot of people in the city to head to the suburbs to gas up. At a BP gas station off of Touhy Avenue in Park Ridge Tuesday, the cost of regular unleaded gas is $3.37 a gallon.
But head just two miles away to the BP Station at Harlem and Northwest Highway in the city and the price jumps to $3.79 a gallon. The cost is over 40 cents more per gallon thanks to additional taxes.
Many Chicago drivers say they have noticed.
"I guess we were spoiled when it was during the pandemic because it was a lot lower, but it’s back to normal now," said Walt Cohen as he filled his tank. "We’ve just got to deal with it. I ride my bike a lot and we’ll manage."
James Antoine said he was only going to put $20 worth of gas in his tank and wait to fill up at a less expensive gas station.
"It’s really hurting me because that’s what I do for a living," said Antoine, a delivery driver. "Like to fill it up it cost me like $100 for two days [worth]. On a very good day I can make $250."
AAA says this gas hike is more than your average holiday increase, citing three reasons: confidence in vaccinations, an increase in demand and the easing of travel restrictions.