Gas prices top $2 a gallon in Bradenton-Sarasota

MANATEE -- Average retail gasoline prices in the Bradenton-Sarasota area have gone back above $2 a gallon -- and more than the national average.

Prices rose 15.5 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.01 a g Monday, according to GasBuddy's daily survey of 308 area gas outlets. This compares with the national average that has increased 4.9 cents per gallon in the last week to $1.98 a gallon, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

But prices are still 41.2 cents per gallon lower than the same day one year ago. They're 33.2 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 27.4 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 44 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago.

Statewide, average prices are $2.02 a gallon, up 11.6 cents per gallon from last week's $1.91 a gallon.

"With the U.S. average price of gas closing in on the $2 level, a price not seen since late December, it reflects a real paradox; we see simultaneously both a stark increase -- 25 cents per gallon in the past few weeks -- and a reminder of how much we're still saving," said Gregg Laskoski, senior petroleum analyst with GasBuddy. "Even with the anticipated rise in retail prices to accommodate 'summer blend' gasoline regulations, and even with a 54 percent increase in crude oil from $26 to $40 for the benchmark West Texas Intermediate, the national average price of gas today remains some 45 cents lower than where we were exactly one year ago."

This story was originally published March 21, 2016 at 9:43 AM with the headline "Gas prices top $2 a gallon in Bradenton-Sarasota ."