The Phila. region is heading toward a 2022 Memorial Day Weekend that is absent overt COVID worries in a long time. That reality brings upbeat thoughts of impromptu zips to the Shore or the Poconos, family reunions, graduation parties, and other reasons to travel. But yet another spoiler — gas prices — is set to impede yet another summer, reports Howard Monroe for CBS Philly.
The area’s June-July-Aug. stretch could well be a long season of fretful fill-ups, according to AAA.
At present in the Phila. suburbs, $4.85 a gallon is common, just below the area average of $4.89. Neighboring New Jersey is a little better ($4.73), and Delaware shaves yet a few more pennies off the cost ($4.62).
These price points make the previous all-time national high ($4.11 in 2008) seem almost quaint.
AAA sees no real relief in sight, which will hit the wallets of the estimated 465,000 Memorial Day Weekend travelers and affect their intended 50-mile-away average escapes.
Prices are being driven up by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the more expensive summer gasoline blend, and demand.
“I wish I had a crystal ball and could say, ‘There’s something out there that could happen and trigger that decline,’” said Jana Tidwell, a AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesperson. “For the short term, we’re not seeing relief in sight. We’re seeing the very good possibility of $5 per gallon gas in our region.”
Read more about gas prices, current and projected, at CBS Philly.
