Gas prices are continuing to fall in Oregon, but that doesn’t mean drivers will see many bargains at the pump this Labor Day weekend.
The average price has fallen 11 weeks in a row, according to the latest figures from AAA Oregon/Idaho. But that’s not the entire story.
“We will be paying the most for gas for Labor Day ever,” said AAA spokesperson Marie Dodds.
The statewide average in Oregon is $4.78 a gallon, down nearly 80 cents from the all-time state record set in mid-June. Still, Dodds said that’s far more than the previous Labor Day record of $4.02, set in 2012.
“That’s the only other time that we will have paid above four dollars a gallon on Labor Day,” she said.
Oregon’s prices remain well above the national average of $3.84 per gallon. The highest gas prices can be found in Portland and Medford, according to AAA, while the cheapest average prices are in Salem. Eugene is near the middle of the pack at around $4.66 per gallon.
Dodds said she doesn’t expect the price to significantly impact Labor Day travel plans, which tend to be more muted than the other summer holiday weekends.
“We tend to see much bigger travel volumes for Memorial Day and the Fourth of July than we do for Labor Day," she said. "Labor Day is still a very busy travel season, but the volume is always smaller than the other two holidays.”
