Despite an increase in gasoline prices in most of America, prices at the pump in Chattanooga fell by nearly a penny a gallon last week, on average, to remain among the lowest priced markets in the country.
According to the gasoline price website GasBuddy.com, the average retail price of gas in Chattanooga fell by 0.8 cents per gallon last week to $2.02 a gallon. Although that price is up 3.5 cents a gallon from a month ago and is up 44.6 cents from a year ago, Chattanooga gas prices still average 29 cents per gallon less than the U.S. average of $2.31 a gallon.
Gas prices today were also still below $1.90 a gallon at three local stations on Lee Highway in Chattanooga. The Murphy's Express, Sam's Club and Citgo stations on Lee Highway in East Brainerd are selling regular gas today at $1.89 per gallon, according to GasBuddy.com surveys.
Chattanooga still has dozens of service stations selling gas below $2 even though GasBuddy's nationwide survey found just 8,000 stations across the country with gas priced below $2 a gallon on Sunday.
"Gasoline prices are starting to pick up steam as a majority of states see their average rise over last week, a function of the season's theatrics coming into view: refinery maintenance and the transition to cleaner gasoline pumping up prices," said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com. "Some states gas prices may slightly lag the upward trend being seen in 38 states as remaining winter gasoline inventories are purged. However, as we grow closer to Baseball's Opening Day, the nation's motorists will be more likely to strikeout when trying to find $1.99 gas prices, which remain at just 8,000 stations across just handful of states."
In southern California, some gas stations have raised gas prices above $3 a gallon, DeHaan said.