Gasoline prices take big drop for holiday

Submitted information

Gasoline prices over the Memorial Day weekend are poised to be their lowest since 2005 for motorists in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Illinois, while motorists in Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina are on the cusp of the same feat.

For those in the Great Lakes, much of the reason for the cheapest Memorial Day in 12 years can be pinned on a smooth transition to summer gasoline, and few major refinery kinks in the area.

Average gasoline prices are down big versus the start of Memorial Day last year: 22 cents per gallon lower in Ohio, 13 cents in Indiana, 9 cents in Illinois, and 8 cents in Michigan. The change is a less stark 5 cents in Georgia and Kentucky and 2 cents in North and South Carolina.

“We thought last Memorial Day and summer was a terrific time to get out and take a road trip, but it has been a remarkable start to 2017, leading to possibly seeing the cheapest gas prices in 12 years over the Memorial Day weekend for several states — with prices in some spots lower than we started the year,” said Patrick DeHaan, GasBuddy senior petroleum analyst. “It’s absolutely astonishing and I’m sure motorists won’t complain about it.”