AAA Texas: Weekend Gas Watch; $3 Gas Averages Heading This Way

In Beaumont, the price of gasoline posted a one-week increase of 30 cents -- now, that the government has allowed residents back into the city, and electricity has been restored to the area which is needed at the gas pumps. For the second straight week, Fort Worth has the highest statewide average at $2.985 -- that's 2.7 cents shy of the all-time record high of $3.012 set on September 4th.

"Although many motorists are already paying three dollars or higher for a gallon or regular self serve gasoline in some areas, the actual average for a gallon of gas in Texas has remained below that level," said Rose Rougeau, spokesperson for AAA Texas. "However, current averages appear to be heading back into record territory as gas supplies remain tight following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita."

The national average for regular self-serve gasoline is $2.938 a gallon -- a 12 cents weekly increase.

AAA Texas' Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline at popular destinations for automobile trips.

Average Daily Prices as of 12:01 a.m., October 7, 2005:

                              Weekly                Weekly
Area             10/07/05     Change    9/29/05     Change    9/23/05
---------------- --------- ------------ -------- ------------ --------
National           $2.938  +12.3 cents   $2.815   +6.7 cents   $2.748
State              $2.909  +13.5 cents   $2.774  +10.7 cents   $2.667
Austin-San
 Marcos            $2.836  +14.2 cents   $2.694   +4.5 cents   $2.649
Beaumont           $2.900  +29.5 cents   $2.605   -3.5 cents   $2.640
Corpus Christi     $2.932  +19.5 cents   $2.737  +17.7 cents   $2.560
Dallas             $2.983  +15.9 cents   $2.824  +11.8 cents   $2.706
Ft. Worth          $2.985  +15.2 cents   $2.833  +14.6 cents   $2.687
Galveston/Texas                                   
 City              $2.904  +11.9 cents   $2.785   No Change    $2.785
Houston            $2.913  +12.3 cents   $2.790   +6.0 cents   $2.730
San Antonio        $2.798  +12.6 cents   $2.672   +9.2 cents   $2.580


Area               Record High    2004 Average
---------------- --------------- --------------
National         $3.057 (9/5/05)    $1.940
State            $2.964 (9/4/05)    $1.832
Austin-San
 Marcos          $2.918 (9/6/05)    $1.812
Beaumont         $2.930 (9/4/05)    $1.815
Corpus Christi   $2.929 (9/3/05)    $1.799
Dallas           $3.019 (9/4/05)    $1.837
Ft. Worth        $3.012 (9/4/05)    $1.826
Galveston/Texas
 City            $2.997 (9/4/05)    $1.812
Houston          $2.971 (9/6/05)    $1.812
San Antonio      $2.909 (9/4/05)    $1.794