Gas prices drop one cent in R.I., 4 cents in Mass.

By PBN Staff
Twitter: @ProvBusNews

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island’s gasoline dropped this week, but only by a penny. The one cent drop marks the first decline after five consecutive weeks of increases, according to AAA Southern New England.

The cost of self-serve, unleaded regular averaged $3.97 per gallon in the Ocean State – 1 cent less than last week and a gain of 8 cents over last month – according to the trade group’s weekly survey of Rhode Island’s pump prices.

Prices ranged from $4.08 per gallon for midgrade unleaded to $4.23 for premium and for diesel.

Rhode Island’s price is 11 cents above the $3.86 national average for a gallon of self-pump regular unleaded. A year ago, gas in the Ocean State cost an average $3.93 for a gallon of regular unleaded.

The range in prices for unleaded regular in the Ocean State was 21 cents, as Rhode Island consumers could find regular unleaded priced anywhere from a low of $3.86 to a high of $4.07.

Gas prices in Massachusetts dropped by 4 cents over the last week to $3.86 per gallon for unleaded regular, matching the national average for self-serve unleaded.

The price drop marks Massachusetts’ first decline after five consecutive weeks of increases at the pumps.

A year ago at this time, the Massachusetts average price for a gallon of gas was $3.83.