LA Auto Club: Summer's Mid-Way Point Sees Prices On a Downward Trend

    LOS ANGELES--July 19, 2002--Motorists throughout the southwest are seeing lower pump prices this week, but for Los Angeles area drivers, the downward trend has lasted for three consecutive weeks, according to the Weekend Gas Watch, compiled by the Automobile Club of Southern California.
    However, despite recent decreases, gasoline prices at summer's mid-way point are still between 3 cents and 4 cents above Memorial Day holiday weekend levels. The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline at popular destinations for motoring trips.
    Currently, the average price of self-serve regular unleaded gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $1.616 per gallon, which is eight-tenths of a cent lower than last week's price, 4 cents higher than during the Memorial Day weekend and 21 cents lower than prices at this time last year.
    In San Diego the price is $1.628, which is 1.5 cents lower than last week's level, 3 cents higher than on May 24 and 26 cents lower than last year. Motorists in the central coast have an average price of $1.691, which is 1.4 cents lower than last week's price, 3 cents higher at the first holiday weekend of the summer and 21 cents lower than the price last year.
    "We're accustomed to seeing gasoline price increases during the summer months, but since the beginning of the summer driving season, the average has increased only 3 to 4 cents throughout Southern California," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "This appears to bode well for stable gas prices throughout the rest of the summer."

Average prices as of 12:01 a.m., July 19:

Area                        Regular    Change from    Record Price
                                        last week

Los Angeles-Long Beach      $1.616      -0.8 cents    $2.036 (5/25/01)

San Diego                   $1.628      -1.5 cents    $2.025 (5/29/01)

Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-
Lompoc                      $1.691      -1.4 cents    $2.069 (5/16/01)

Las Vegas                   $1.527      -1.8 cents    $1.885 (3/27/00)

Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz.         $1.462      -1.2 cents    $1.720 (5/30/01)