Idaho gas prices cool off

COEUR d'ALENE - The average price for a gallon of regular gas in Idaho is $3.71, which is a 7-cent increase from a week ago.

Meanwhile, the national average fell by 6 cents to $3.61 per gallon over the same time period.

The Gem State ranks 11th in the U.S. for most expensive fuel, according to AAA.

“Pump prices in other parts of the country have been dropping because of cheaper crude oil. While that hasn’t happened here yet, at least the Idaho average has slowed down, with prices moving only a penny since last Thursday,” said AAA Idaho public affairs director Matthew Conde.

According to the Energy Information Administration, gasoline demand soared to 9.5 million barrels per day, a 1-million-barrel increase from the previous week.

Gas in the Coeur d'Alene area ranged from about $3.30 to $3.50 a gallon.

Today, the most expensive fuel in the U.S. can be found in California ($4.87), Hawaii ($4.78), Arizona ($4.70), Washington ($4.60), and Nevada ($4.26). The cheapest fuel can be purchased in Mississippi

at $3.08 per gallon.

The West Texas Intermediate benchmark for crude oil is currently trading near $75 per barrel, which is $4 less than a week ago and $5 less than a month ago.

“Barring a major economic downturn, any pause in rising pump prices will be exactly that – a temporary halt in the trend of higher prices leading up to Memorial Day,” Conde said. “The average price to fill up in Idaho is still roughly 70 cents per gallon cheaper than a year ago, so we don’t expect to see many travelers postpone or cancel their road trips for now.”

Idaho gas prices as of Monday: Boise, $3.83; Franklin, $3.78; Idaho Falls, $3.51; Lewiston, $3.60.