Michigan gasoline prices continued to fall from a week ago, dropping 13 cents to an average of $3.05 a gallon for regular unleaded, and, in some places, below $3 a gallon.
Michigan had one of the biggest one-week drops among states.
Prices likely will go lower.
“Michigan motorists are seeing lower prices at the pump,” said Adrienne Woodland, a spokeswoman for AAA. “If gas demand continues to fall, alongside increasing supply, then gas prices may drop further.”
In addition, winter blends of gasoline, which stations will transition to, cost less.
The areas with the least expensive gas price averages in Michigan were Grand Rapids. $2.87; Flint, $2.90, and Lansing, $2.90. The most expensive were: Ann Arbor, $3.19; metro Detroit, $3.17 and Marquette, $3.01.
The prices are driven by the price of oil, now in the low $60s a barrel. Oil prices saw little overall change from their week-ago levels. The national gasoline price average was $3.18 a gallon.
“While gas prices fell in more states than they rose last week,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, “the West Coast continues to face challenges, with Oregon and Washington seeing some of the largest increases due to regional infrastructure issues.”
The good news, De Haan added, is that soon stations will start transitioning to lower-cost winter gasoline blends and he expects the “average gas prices will continue to decline in the weeks ahead in most states.”
Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 orfwitsil@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Gas prices in Michigan fall below $3 a gallon in some places
Reporting by Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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