Jacksonville’s gas prices remained steady despite a spike in the national average due to the Colonial Pipeline shutdown.
Gas prices in Jacksonville actually dropped by a penny over the week and went down two cents overall in the county after last week’s spike. A cost for a gallon of gas in Jacksonville is averaging $3.11 in town and $3.13 in the county overall. There was some worry that gasoline supply in Central Illinois might face a strain as several Casey’s Gas stations to the east ran out of gas last week due to a lack of drivers.
Locally, the Colonial Pipeline in the southeast had no effect on gas prices in the region. Prices went up in Scott County compared to last week, shooting to $3.14 a gallon. With Scott’s unexpected spike, Schuyler and Brown counties remain the only places regionally under $3.10 a gallon on average. Gas prices actually get more expensive as you move further south in West Central Illinois with Greene, Macoupin, Jersey, and Calhoun all seeing prices nearing or above $3.20 a gallon.
Nationally, the average is the highest it has been in 6 years at $3.04 a gallon. Prices were expected to go above $3 a gallon ahead of the Memorial Day holiday, but the Colonial Pipeline issues made it happen sooner rather than later.
AAA forecasts 34 million Americans to take a road trip 50 miles or more from home from May 27 to May 31 to celebrate the unofficial kickoff to summer. Crude oil prices and gasoline demand will be two large factors in determining how expensive gas prices will go by the end of the month.