Colorado motorists may be through the worst of the annual springtime gas-price surge.
The state’s average gasoline price fell 1.2 cents last week, to $1.94 per gallon, according to data released Monday. Prices in metro Denver inched down 0.9 cents to $1.91 per gallon.
“I’d say with crude prices weakening, paired with the refineries returning to health, that prices nationally soon will start to see declines, but that Colorado is slightly ahead of the curve,” Will Speer, a GasBuddy senior petroleum analyst, wrote Monday in an e-mail to The Denver Post. “Colorado May 1 to summer-blend, but much of the premium associated with the switchover is already priced in.”
Colorado’s average gas prices prices from late-February to mid-March amid climbing crude prices, annual refinery maintenance and a switch to the more expensive summer fuel blend.
Speer that prices likely would climb again during peak travel times such as Memorial Day.
“Now, we’ll be able to see how things like increased demand for gasoline in the summer impact prices,” Speer said.
Nationally, fuel prices gained another 2.1 cents to average at $2.06 per gallon.
Alicia Wallace: 303-954-1939, awallace@denverpost.com or @aliciawallace
