Gas prices in Chattanooga rose an average 4.4 cents a gallon last week, but local prices still remained among the lowest in the country, according to price surveys released today by GasBuddy.com.
The average price of gas going into the final week of 2017 was $2.12 per gallon, or 31 cents per gallon less than the U.S. average of $2.43 per gallon. The year is ending with gas prices up 10.3 cents per gallon higher than a year ago.
Chattanooga still offers the cheapest gas in Tennessee at the Sam’s gas station on Lee Highway, where gas is selling today at $1.93 per gallon.
Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, said following the heavy travel period over Christmas, gas prices could moderate in the days ahead..
“Without such ill-timed disruptions, we’d see a plentiful portion of falling pump prices, but now, the bitter taste of rising prices during the holiday lingers for many,” he said. “But with the New Year set to roll in accompanied by a strong cold front, I’d expect gasoline demand to weaken, thus softening the outlook for gas prices in the weeks ahead and eventually delivering lower gas prices. Offering a brief glimpse into 2018: motorists won’t be loving what they see, but the devil’s in the details.”