Motorists welcome falling gas prices

    Prices are down regionally and nationally as travelers get ready to hit the highways this holiday weekend. It’s one reason more drivers are expected on the road this year.

    Gasoline prices continue to fall, which is good news for folks who plan to travel by car this Memorial Day weekend.

    In Delaware, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline dropped 7 cents in the past week to $2.75, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic.

    The average in the Philadelphia area is $2.86, also down 7 cents from last week.

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    South Jersey’s average is $2.63, an 8-cent drop.

    Nationally, gas prices fell for the third straight week to an average of $2.75. Although current prices are 30 cents higher than a year ago, they are down 18 cents from the spring peak price of $2.93 a gallon set on May 6 and $1.36 less than the record high set in July 2008.

    That’s welcome news for the 28 million Americans expected to travel by car this holiday weekend, a 5.8% increase from a year ago, according to Jana Tidwell, Acting Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA  Mid-Atlantic.

    “Motorists will certainly take advantage of declining gas prices as they fill up and take to the roads for the long Memorial Day weekend,” Tidwell said.

    The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has not yet affected crude oil prices or interfered with tankers carrying imported crude to Gulf ports or those taking refined products to other parts of the country, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic.

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