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Local drivers seeing spike in gas prices from Hurricane Harvey

National average is $2.51 per gallon

As drivers are hitting the road for Labor Day weekend plans, they're also seeing a jump in gas prices from the effects of Hurricane Harvey.

On Friday, the national average for a gallon of gasoline was $2.51, which is the highest price of the year.

According to The Auto Club Group (AAA), refinery and pipeline shutdowns in Houston have spurred the short-term spike.

"It was expected with the hurricane," Adriano Ruiz said while filling up along Florida's Turnpike. "It will affect the budget, but the plan will still go on."

On Wednesday, officials with the Department of Energy reported that 10 Gulf Coast refineries remained shut down. Colonial Pipeline officials also announced they expect to temporarily suspend the company's gasoline, diesel and jet fuel pipelines.

For Jim Fawcett, who was traveling to Atlanta, the suffering in Texas far outweighs the increase in gas prices.

"I think the length of time it's going to take to get back is really what hits me the most. Gasoline price is the least of my concerns with that," Fawcett said.

Analysts expect gas prices to rise another 5 to 10 cents in the near term due to tightened access to supply levels in the Gulf, according to AAA.

Click here to see how gas prices compare across the country.


About the Author
Mark Lehman headshot

Mark Lehman became a News 6 reporter in July 2014, but he's been a Central Florida journalist and part of the News 6 team for much longer. While most people are fast asleep in their bed, Mark starts his day overnight by searching for news on the streets of Central Florida.

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