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Oregon prices are nearing $3 gallon
Wednesday, April 26, 2006 | No comments posted.
SPRINGFIELD (AP) - Kelsey Weinhold, a prep cook from Eugene, says her discretionary income goes to food and gasoline.
With gas prices heading toward the $3 per gallon mark, Weinhold doesn't expect to be eating quite as well in the coming weeks.
“I used to put in $20 and fill my tank. Now it takes $30. I can't afford it anymore,” she said.
On Tuesday, Eugene-Springfield had the highest average price for gasoline of any metropolitan area in Oregon. It even overtook Medford-Ashland, which usually pays more because it has no petroleum pipeline and must ship its supplies overland, which is more expensive.
The numbers showed the statewide average at $2.85, Portland's and Salem's at $2.82, Medford-Ashland's at $2.89 and Eugene-Springfield's at $2.90. The national average was $2.92 per gallon.
And the pumps are displaying the high prices before the record $70 per barrel international crude price of recent days is reflected in the retail prices of gasoline.
The gas price run-up drove a half-dozen commuters to start a third Eugene-to-Salem van pool last month through the Mid-Valley Rideshare organization.
“Everybody has a threshold,” said Robin Rolls, a Rideshare planner.
The Lane Transit District saw record ridership in March with 818,337 boardings, a 10.2 percent increase over the previous March - due in part to a popular student pass program.
Travel experts are considering how gas prices will affect the summer travel season.
“Two years ago, they were talking about that being $2 and not much happened. When it hit $3 last year, we didn't see a substantial decline,” said Elliot Eki, spokesman for AAA of Oregon/Idaho.
“It's going to cost you more to eat, and it's going to cost you more to stay in a hotel. When you add that all up, it's going to get a little spendy.”
Economist Ed Whitelaw said that he has already noticed changes in consumer behavior, including among his own colleagues, in response to rising gas prices.
“Some of the students have forgone trips to the coast, trips to the mountains, those kinds of things,” said Whitelaw, who is president of EcoNorthwest.
It could be worse. Browsing at a Eugene bookstore this week, kindergarten classroom assistant Terrye Eames, 57, noticed a new nonfiction book by Stephen Leep called “The Coming Economic Collapse: How Can You Thrive When Oil Costs $200 a Barrel.”
“It's a possibility, and it scares me,” she said.
But Michael Ray, a 25-year-old car salesman who drives a Cadillac, said he's young, has places to go and would drive just as much if gas were $10 per gallon.
“It is what it is at the pump, and that's what we'll have to pay,” he said.
With gas prices heading toward the $3 per gallon mark, Weinhold doesn't expect to be eating quite as well in the coming weeks.
“I used to put in $20 and fill my tank. Now it takes $30. I can't afford it anymore,” she said.
On Tuesday, Eugene-Springfield had the highest average price for gasoline of any metropolitan area in Oregon. It even overtook Medford-Ashland, which usually pays more because it has no petroleum pipeline and must ship its supplies overland, which is more expensive.
The numbers showed the statewide average at $2.85, Portland's and Salem's at $2.82, Medford-Ashland's at $2.89 and Eugene-Springfield's at $2.90. The national average was $2.92 per gallon.
And the pumps are displaying the high prices before the record $70 per barrel international crude price of recent days is reflected in the retail prices of gasoline.
The gas price run-up drove a half-dozen commuters to start a third Eugene-to-Salem van pool last month through the Mid-Valley Rideshare organization.
“Everybody has a threshold,” said Robin Rolls, a Rideshare planner.
The Lane Transit District saw record ridership in March with 818,337 boardings, a 10.2 percent increase over the previous March - due in part to a popular student pass program.
Travel experts are considering how gas prices will affect the summer travel season.
“Two years ago, they were talking about that being $2 and not much happened. When it hit $3 last year, we didn't see a substantial decline,” said Elliot Eki, spokesman for AAA of Oregon/Idaho.
“It's going to cost you more to eat, and it's going to cost you more to stay in a hotel. When you add that all up, it's going to get a little spendy.”
Economist Ed Whitelaw said that he has already noticed changes in consumer behavior, including among his own colleagues, in response to rising gas prices.
“Some of the students have forgone trips to the coast, trips to the mountains, those kinds of things,” said Whitelaw, who is president of EcoNorthwest.
It could be worse. Browsing at a Eugene bookstore this week, kindergarten classroom assistant Terrye Eames, 57, noticed a new nonfiction book by Stephen Leep called “The Coming Economic Collapse: How Can You Thrive When Oil Costs $200 a Barrel.”
“It's a possibility, and it scares me,” she said.
But Michael Ray, a 25-year-old car salesman who drives a Cadillac, said he's young, has places to go and would drive just as much if gas were $10 per gallon.
“It is what it is at the pump, and that's what we'll have to pay,” he said.
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