Gas price up 4.7 cents on the week, now averaging $2.55 per gallon

Gas is going up.

The average retail price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the Tacoma area has risen 4.7 cents in the past week and now averages $2.55, according to the weekly report from GasBuddy.com.

The national average, meanwhile, has risen 1.7 cents over the week and now rests at $2.22 per gallon.

The average prices, calculated Sunday, show that prices in the Tacoma area are 53.5 cents per gallon lower than they were one year ago but 22.1 cents higher than one month ago.

The highest recent average price for gasoline on May 16 was registered in 2012 at $4.27 per gallon.

The least expensive gasoline in the Tacoma area Monday, at $2.19 per gallon, could be found at a Pacific Pride outlet in Lakewood, according to the industry monitor tacomagasprices.com. In the Olympia area, the lowest price Monday was $2.37 a gallon at the Arco station at Martin Way East and Ranger Drive Southeast, according to washingtongasprices.com.

“While pockets of significant gas price hikes were prevalent, especially in regions such as the Pacific Northwest and Rockies, 22 states actually had price decreases,” said Will Speer, senior petroleum analyst at GasBuddy in this week’s news release.

“With the Memorial Day holiday two weeks away, it marks the kickoff to the summer driving season,” Speer said. “Gasoline demand that has already been strong this year will undoubtedly see a huge seasonal increase in demand.”

This story was originally published May 16, 2016 at 12:39 PM with the headline "Gas price up 4.7 cents on the week, now averaging $2.55 per gallon."