Hoosiers who get on the road for spring break this week will have to pay more at the pump as the war in the Middle East continues.
The average cost of U.S. gas prices has climbed more than 70 cents from three weeks ago, according to the American Automobile Association, and stands roughly where prices were in the spring of 2024.
To help offset costs, writes AAA, the U.S. is releasing 172 million barrels of oil from its strategic reserves over the next four months. I’ts part of a broader effort by the International Energy Agency, which is releasing 400 million barrels of oil from its global reserves — the largest ever.
That might not come soon enough to save the wallets of Indiana motorists. While the cost of fuel dropped by a fraction from where gasoline prices stood last week, it’s still higher than last year.
IndyStar is keeping track of how gas prices have changed since the beginning of March. Here’s what you should know.
What are gas prices in Indiana as of March 16?
As of 10:30 a.m. Monday, according to AAA, gas prices in Indiana stood at $3.476/gallon of regular fuel, a fraction lower than last week’s price of $3.478.
That’s still higher though than last year’s cost of $2.938 from around this same time, and a leap from earlier this month when fuel cost $2.798 on March 2.
As of March 16, the following cities recorded these average fuel costs:
Where is Indiana’s most expensive gas now, March 6, 2026?
Across the state Monday, March 16, Indiana’s highest average gas prices could be found in Franklin County at $3.675.
Where is Indiana’s cheapest gas now, March 16, 2026?
The cheapest Indiana county for fueling up, according to AAA, is Jennings County at $3.280.
(Note: The cost of fuel changes daily. Visit GasPrices.aaa.com for the latest prices. Additional information about Indiana’s average fuel costs can be found at Fuelinsights.gasbuddy.com)
How much has gas risen in the U.S.?
The national average price of gasoline has risen 79.8 cents over the past month, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 12 million individual price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country.
How high is the price of diesel?
Indiana’s average price of diesel rose 0.167 cents in the last week, per AAA, and stands at $4.925 per gallon.
How expensive is crude oil today?
As of 10:30 a.m. Monday, brent crude, the international benchmark, stood slightly over $100 a barrel. The price is expected to remain higher than average while the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas typically passes, remains virtually shut.
John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: This Indiana county has the cheapest gas Monday as spring break starts
Reporting by John Tufts, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
