Five days before the start of the Memorial Day weekend, gas prices in Central Oregon, statewide and across the nation remain at or near record highs.
The average price for gas in Bend is $5.19 Monday, according to AAA. That’s a penny less than the all-time high set on May 20. Diesel in Bend is $5.73, down two cents from the record.
Statewide, the average is a record of $5.16 with diesel just below the record at $5.67.
Nationally, it’s $4.60, a new all-time record, with diesel at $5.55, down three cents from the high.
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Here are more average prices for various metros in Oregon, according to AAA, rounded to the nearest penny:
- Albany: $5.04
- Corvallis: $5.00
- Eugene-Springfield: $5.16
- Grants Pass: $5.29
- Medford-Ashford: $5.20
- Pendleton: $4.93
- Portland: $5.22
- Salem: $5.07
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California is at $6.07 on average for regular while Washington state is at $5.21. Idaho is $4.62.
In a post titled “Nowhere to go but up?” AAA said the national average hasn’t dropped in nearly a month.
“Gasoline has either remained flat or risen every day since April 24 and has set a new record daily since May 10. That was the day gas eclipsed the previous record high of $4.33, set earlier this year on March 11. The national average for a gallon of gasoline is now $4.59 and all 50 states are above $4 per gallon,” AAA said.
GasBuddy reports that 70% of people say the high gas prices have affected their summer travel plans, up 24% over 2021.
“The COVID factor is still present, but has been dwarfed this year by Americans’ concern over high gas prices and dwindling affordable travel options to make use of the best months of the year,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy in a statement.
