Community Corner

More Pain At the Pump: Maryland Gas Prices Jumped 16 Cents This Week

Gas prices across the state and the country are continuing their climb towards the $4 mark.

Gas prices across the state and country continue to climb, with the average price for a gallon of gas in Maryland rising 16 cents this week, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic.

In Maryland, the average price for a gallon of gas was $3.78 Friday, rising from $3.62 a week ago and $3.38 a month ago, according to AAA. Maryland’s gas prices were on par with the national average of $3.78 a gallon, up 14 cents from a week ago.

Prices were higher in Maryland's Washington, DC suburbs, with an average tank running $3.84, up from $3.65 a week ago.

Find out what's happening in Bethesda-Chevy Chasewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Gas prices have climbed for the past 36 days, according to AAA, with a run-up in gas prices beginning earlier this year compared to other years.

“State and local gas prices continue to rise from coast to coast and the national gas price average jumped double digits again this week (14 cents), occurring weeks ahead of the typical late-winter run up in pump prices and at a much faster pace,” said Ragina C. Averella, Public and Government Affairs Manager for AAA Mid-Atlantic, in a statement.

Find out what's happening in Bethesda-Chevy Chasewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A chief oil analyst for the Oil Price Information Service (OPIS), Tom Kloza, told AAA the national average could peak around $3.95 by early April.

“Whatever you pay on St. Patrick’s Day will be considerably more than you’ll pay on July 4 or Labor Day,” Kloza said in the statement.

How are you coping with the rising gas prices? Are you using alternate forms of transportation to avoid pain at the pump? Tell us in the comments.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here