Soaring gas prices have Mount Pleasant residents rethinking summer plans
A spike in gas prices has left some Mount Pleasant residents rethinking their summer plans.
Mount Pleasant resident Katrina Stock was pumping gas at Speedway, 201 S. Mission St., and said the price of gas was making it difficult to follow through on summer travel plans and that she will have to stay more local this summer.
"When I come on Monday and got gas, it was like $4.14, and I just put a couple bucks in, and then I come back and it was (up again). It's highway robbery," Stock said. "Well, we definitely aren't going anywhere (this summer.) That's for sure."
The price jump has been blamed on computer glitches and problems at a Detroit that was hit with a fire in late April and at other refineries in the Midwest.
"Basically, our refineries in the Midwest are aging and need renovation and repairs," AAA Michigan Public Relations Director Nancy Cain said. "Unfortunately, these two major refineries were down at the same time for planned and unplanned work. Had only one refinery been affected, we likely would not have seen the increases we are seeing at the pump."
Cain said a lack of supply has driven prices up.
"Because some refineries didn't have the supply needed, (companies) purchased fuel from other sources, also pushing the price up," Cain said.
Stock doesn't buy it.
"It's summer, and I just think that's what they do, and it's not (because of a glitch like others have said)," Stock said, "They know people are traveling and it'll go down on Sunday, Monday and then come Wednesday it goes back up again."
According to the AAA, gas prices have jumped in Michigan by roughly 42 cents per gallon over the past month, sitting at an average of $4.21 per gallon.
"The price is 4.4 cents less than Michigan's all-time high gas price average of $4.259, set on May 4, 2011," the automobile association said in a news release.
According to AAA, the national average for regular gasoline was $3.63 as of Tuesday, leaving Michigan 58 cents above the national average at $4.20.
