Altoona Area Gas Prices Hit Record Highs

Over the weekend, the price of regular gas at many Altoona area outlets was $2.99 a gallon. Hard to believe but that was the time to fill up! That because at many stations in the regions, heading into today the price jumped another dime and is now well over $3.00 a gallon. The record price of gas in the Altoona area is part of national surge that has carried gas prices to some of the highest on record. While others may cut back on vacation plans, theyll still be filling up on a regular basis because they see no way to drive significantly less.

The national average cost of gas is now at least $3.19 a gallon. For the first time, that surpasses the inflation adjusted record of $3.15 a gallon that was posted back in 1981, some twenty six years ago. The rising price is causing budget woes for many. Even for people who dont drive much, the rising cost of gas is a growing concern. This latest surge in gas prices is attributed to tight gas supplies heading into the summer driving season and a lack of refinery capacity in the face of growing consumer demand. For people filling up on this Monday, they just know the prices are too high and they are sick of it! While gas prices here at the pump are already at record levels, this may not be the end of the gas troubles. On the international markets, oil prices were up sharply today and the demand for gas is expected to only go up as the summer travel season gets underway.