For the second time in less than a week, local gasoline prices have increased by a dime, rising Wednesday to $3.86.
A year ago, heading into the busy summer holiday driving season, gasoline was more than a dollar a gallon cheaper than it is now.
Last June, after there had already been the annual vacation increases, local prices hit $2.65.
That was a full dollar cheaper than the cheapest prices to be found in Kansas this year, and we haven’t even hit Memorial Day weekend yet.
On Wednesday, the low price in the state was $3.65 at Grantville.
Other prices around the state include: $3.68, Valley Center; $3.69, Kingman; $3.71, Wichita and Colby; $3.72, Abilene and Salina; $3.73, Salina; $3.74, Salina and Junction City; $3.75, Hutchinson, Lawrence, Emporia, Garden City and Hays; $3.79, Hutchinson, Lawrence, Emporia, Hays and Manhattan; $3.81, Hutchinson and Liberal; $3.83, Dodge City; $3.85 Emporia, Lawrence and Hays; $3.86, Junction City; $3.89, Iola; $3.91, Salina; $3.99, Belleville, Marysville, Chanute, Parsons, Independence and Iola; $4.01, Seneca; $4.04, Colby; and $4.05, Coffeyville and Parsons.
The state average price Wednesday was $3.84, up from $3.71 just a week ago and an increase from $3.52 a month ago. A year ago, the state average price was $2.83.
The national average on Wednesday was $3.96. A year ago, the national average price was $2.93.
The prices are reported on Kansas Gas Prices, which is operated by Gas Buddy Organization, that was developed as a way for the public to report changes in gas prices around the nation.
The Kansas prices are available at www.kansasgasprices.com.
Some communities are listed more than once in the prices, because there are a variety of gas prices available.