Gas prices are on the rise in New Jersey as many residents start planning getaway trips for the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
TripAdvisor says that a third of Americans will be traveling for the holiday. With gas prices hovering around $3 in the Garden State, many residents will be paying more at the pump.
“[Gas prices] have changed substantially. There was always a 50 cent difference…between New York and New Jersey. Maybe 60. It's pretty much even now,” says Brooklyn resident Rich Barnett.
The state average for gas is now at $2.91 per gallon, up a penny from just one day ago. This is now higher than the national average of $2.84 per gallon. A year ago the price was $2.37.
New Jersey was once known for some of the cheapest gas in the country. New Jerseyans were paying just $2 a gallon in 2016 before the Christie administration approved an increase to the state’s gas tax.
But TripAdvisor says that 90 percent of Americans do not mind paying more for gas, according to a recent survey.
“We just bought a house down in Tuckerton, on Osborn Island, so I guess I’m going to spend a lot of money on gas this summer. But maybe we’ll have fun,” Barnett says.
Gas prices in New Jersey are at the highest they have been for this time of the year in about four years.