Gas prices are falling as we head toward the first big travel weekend of summer, and the AAA Carolinas motor club says more North Carolinians are planning road trips for the Memorial Day holiday.
If you're driving south this weekend, you might want to tank up in South Carolina, where the state average price of $3.573 is the nation's lowest, according to the Oil Price Information Service.
Triangle drivers are paying an average $3.705 a gallon for self-service regular. That's down a dime in just the past week, but nearly a dollar more than we paid a year ago.
Why is our gas more expensive than South Carolina's? Most of the difference is in taxes. North Carolina adds 32.8 cents in tax and inspection fees to the price of each gallon (only 12 states have higher gas taxes). South Carolina's gas tax is only 16.8 cents, lower than all but three states' rates, according to the American Petroleum Institute.
AAA cites the recent gas price drop, and an improvement in unemployment numbers, in its prediction that 865,000 North Carolinians will travel this weekend, mostly by car -- a 3 percent increase over last year's Memorial Day numbers.
Raleigh-Durham International Airport expects to handle 130,000 airline travelers through Monday, with Friday the busiest day.
Most state Department of Transportation road construction will be suspended from Friday afternoon until Tuesday morning, but traffic will be squeezed into a cingle lane because of construction on two U.S. 17 bridges: the Cashie River bridge in Windsor (Bertie County) and the Buddy Phillips Bridge in Jacksonville (Onslow County).
Bruce Siceloff reports on traffic and transportation. A News & Observer reporter, editor and blogger since 1976, he took over the
Comments
Ga prices less in S.C.
Thu, 05/26/2011 - 14:20 — henryeUnfortunately a large percentage of the american people do not understand that gas prices are based on the value of the Dollar. Since the dollar is the medium exchange price for the world..all other countries have to buy american dollars first in order to buy oil from the middle east. consequently that is why other countrys have to far more for their products So gas may be a few cents cheaper in some places depending on supply..As the dollar becomes more shakey. there is begining to be a reluctance of usuing the dollar.in many places due to our enormous debt.....If and when that happens the price of gas in this country will sky rocket..Gone are the days that the media reported the news regardless of the consequiences.. Now most of the media is owned by big business instead of the Daniels family and other privately owned media..And unless the media reports the facts most. people are in the dark...that is why it is so important to get our debt under control. and to try and generate more income...