Gas Prices On The Rise As Holiday Travel Approaches

More than a million North Carolinians are expected to travel as part of the July 4th holiday, and they'll face higher gas prices.

The price for unleaded gas in the Carolinas has gone up by about 13 cents in the week-and-a-half or so before the holiday travel period.

The Winston-Salem Journal reports that the spike was the largest in the nation during that period. 

Despite the jump, the cost of gas here is still lower than the national average and cheaper than it was on July 4th last year.

AAA Carolinas listed several factors for higher gas prices, including increased demand as the summer driving season began, and the permanent closing of a Philadelphia refinery leading to short-term volume decreases along the East Coast.

In the Triad, the average price is two dollars and fifty-seven cents per gallon. 

The agency estimates that the number of North Carolinians who will drive to the holiday destinations will increase by about four percent over last year.