Average gas prices in metro Albany at $2 mark

ALBANY — A 3.6-cent drop in the average gas price at the pump in the metro Albany region had the price on Tuesday at $2 a gallon, a watermark that was still higher than five other of the state’s metro regions, according to gas price surveyors GasBuddy and AAA-The Auto Club Group.

While the national average dropped another 6.6 cents a gallon to $2.25, according to the surveyors, and the Georgia average neared the $2 mark with a 3.2-cent drop to $2.06, it was in the Catoosa-Dade-Walker metro area that prices really made a mark. That region of the state had a $1.892 average Tuesday, the first in the state to drop below $1.90 this year.

Other Georgia metro regions with averages below the $2 mark included Dalton ($1.947), Rome ($1.972), Augusta-Aiken ($1.977) and Warner Robins ($1.982). The Hinesville-Fort Stewart area remained at the top end of the spectrum in the state with an average price Tuesday at $2.27.

“As the national average price of gasoline continues to test multiyear lows, U.S. motorists are keeping over $250 million in their pocket every single day versus 80 days ago,” Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, said in a New Year’s Day news release. “The plunge has seen sub-$2 gas prices show up at over a third of all gas stations in the country while 11 states have seen average prices dip under the $2 level.

“The most common price at gas stations in the U.S. is now $1.99 per gallon, while the second most common price is just $1.89. With the plunge perhaps continuing for another couple of weeks, many motorists have been asking how long this trend will continue into 2019. The answer is that it’s complicated but possible summer gas prices won’t be anywhere near this low, but all the specifics on what motorists can expect in 2019 will be revealed later this week when GasBuddy releases its 2019 Fuel Price Outlook. I would encourage motorists to check it out for all the possibilities for pump prices into the new year.”

Including the change locally during the past week, prices are 26.2 cents per gallon lower than a year ago and are 22.0 cents per gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has dropped 21.3 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 23.8 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.