As Florida reopens, gas prices begin to creep back up

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - With coronavirus-related restrictions lifting and Floridians beginning to travel more, gasoline prices are the most expensive they have been in nine weeks.

The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas in Florida is $1.90, up 2 cents from last week and 14 cents from a month ago, according to the AAA auto club. Also, the price of crude oil is at a three-month high, due to increased demand and production cuts.

AAA spokesman W. D. Williams said he expects prices will top $2 a gallon in the next week or two.

“The economy is rebounding,” Williams said. “People who were working from home are now starting to go back to their normal place of work. So, those daily commutes consume a lot of gasoline systemwide. So, the demand is increasing. We all know that as the demand increases, the prices are going to increase as well.”

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Gas prices are still down 70 cents a gallon from a year ago.

Florida’s most expensive gas is in West Palm Beach, with the cheapest in Orlando.

“The bottom of gasoline prices are behind us, and we are going to see continued increases coming up in the future,” Williams said. “We expect to see a $2-a-gallon Florida average, probably within a week or so.”