R.I. gas prices drop 3 cents

By Emily Greenhalgh
PBN Web Editor
Twitter: @EGreenhalgh

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island’s gasoline dropped 3 cents this week, the fourth week of declines after five consecutive weeks of increases, according to AAA Southern New England.

The cost of self-serve, unleaded regular averaged $3.85 per gallon in the Ocean State – 3 cents less than last week and down 13 cents over the last three weeks – according to the trade group’s weekly survey of Rhode Island’s pump prices.

AAA recommended consumers shop around for the best deal as the range in prices for unleaded regular in the Ocean State was 24 cents. Rhode Islanders could find regular unleaded priced anywhere from a low of $3.75 to a high of $3.99.

Rhode Island’s price is 12 cents above the $3.73 national average for a gallon of self-pump, regular unleaded.

A year ago, gas in the Ocean State cost an average $4.04 for a gallon of regular unleaded.

Prices ranged from $4.02 per gallon for midgrade unleaded to $4.14 for premium and $4.13 for diesel.

Gas prices in Massachusetts dropped another nickel over the last week to $3.72 per gallon for unleaded regular, 1 cent less than the national average for self-serve unleaded.

The price drop marks Massachusetts’ fourth consecutive week of declines after five consecutive weeks of increases at the pumps.

Bay State pump prices ranged from $3.88 per gallon for midgrade unleaded to $4.00 for premium and $4.08 for diesel.

A year ago at this time, the Massachusetts average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas was $3.94.