Memorial Day Gas Prices Expected To Rise In Chicago
CHICAGO (WBBM/CBS) -- As motorists hit the road for the Memorial Day weekend, they can expect to pay a lot more at the pump than a year ago.
Last Memorial Day, a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was $1.20 cheaper.
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And, while the price has dropped about 14 cents in the past week, the cost is about to go up, analysts say.
Why?
A glitch at the Joliet/Exxon refinery has slowed production--lowering supply when demand is high.
The glitch resulted in the release of 500 pounds of sulfur dioxide on Sunday. A "flare" of sulfur dioxide Monday also slowed production for the region.
The average cost for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline, according to AAA, is $4.23.
AAA predicts we'll see nearly 35 million people on the roadways across America this weekend.
Mark Consadine came to Chicago from Great Britain and was planning a drive to Wisconsin with a friend -– with few side trips.
"We probably won't drive around as much as we were planning and we'll probably just use the car to drive there and back," he told CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot.
