Detroit, Mich. — Detroit-area drivers are paying sharply more at the pump, with the statewide average for regular unleaded rising 19 cents in one week to $4.66 a gallon, AAA-The Auto Club Group said Monday.
The price is 35 cents higher than a month ago and $1.73 more than at the same time last year, AAA said. At that level, a full 15-gallon tank costs about $70. AAA spokeswoman Adrienne Woodland said the jump shows fuel prices remain highly sensitive to volatility in the global oil market.
A separate fuel survey Monday also put the Michigan average at $4.66, up 22.3 cents since last week. The price in Detroit is about $4.60 a gallon, a 13.3-cent jump from last week, based on a survey of 1,734 area stations. Metro Detroit ranked among the least expensive Michigan markets this week at $4.60, with Ann Arbor at $4.67.
The most expensive weekly averages in Michigan included Saginaw at $4.74 and Grand Rapids and Lansing at $4.73. Marquette was cheapest at $4.34. Nationally, regular unleaded averaged $4.29, down a cent from last week.
AAA attributed the Michigan rise to higher national gasoline demand, citing Energy Information Administration figures showing demand up from 8.68 million to 8.76 million barrels per day while U.S. gasoline production fell from 9.46 million to 9.34 million barrels per day.
