California gas station charges nearly $8 a gallon ahead of busy Memorial Day weekend

Nationwide, the average price at the pump is $1.61 higher than it was one year ago.

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Tuesday, May 24, 2022
Bay Area gas station charging nearly $8 a gallon
A Menlo Park, California gas station is charging nearly $8 a gallon for supreme-grade gasoline as the state's average price tops past $6.

MENLO PARK, Calif. -- A San Francisco Bay Area gas station is charging nearly $8 a gallon for supreme-grade gasoline as California's average price tops $6.

A photographer at our sister station KGO spotted a Chevron gas station in Menlo Park selling regular gas at $7.25 a gallon with supreme-grade gas at a staggering $7.75 a gallon.

"This place is the most convenient for me," customer Alisa Arunamata told KGO. "When you have a bunch of kids and you're running around, you don't have a lot of options."

According to the Lundberg Survey, the Bay Area currently has the highest average price for regular-grade gas in the U.S., at $6.20 per gallon, with the lowest average in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at $3.92 per gallon.

SEE ALSO: US inflation hit 8.3% over past year, slows from previous month's 40-year high

Beyond the financial strain for households, inflation is posing a serious political problem for President Joe Biden.

The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline spiked 33 cents over the past two weeks to $4.71 per gallon as tens of millions prepare to hit the road for the busy holiday weekend.

Nationwide, the price at the pump is $1.61 higher than it was one year ago.

Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey said Sunday that the price jump comes amid higher crude oil costs and tight gasoline supplies.

Biden and many Democrats have accused gas companies of price gouging, while Republicans say the White House should support increased domestic oil and natural gas drilling.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.