After Months of Drops, Gas Prices Up This Week

Gas prices have risen in the Manchester/Lakehurst area for the first time in two months. 

The average price for a gallon of regular gas is now $3.51 locally, a 3-cent increase from the same time last week.

The increase comes as the cost for a barrel of oil slowly neared the $100 threshold this week, hitting as high as $99.18. The oil rally may be short lived, as a poor June jobs report released by the U.S. government has pushed the price back below $97 a barrel in early Friday trading.

When compared to drivers around the country, local residents still come out ahead, as the national price for a gallon of regular is $3.59 as of Friday morning, according to AAA.

The Garden State as a whole is paying 3 cents less this week for a gallon of regular, with an average price of $3.56, also according to AAA.

Don’t get stuck paying more than you have to as you fill up for your weekend plans. Below are the average prices that Manchester and Lakehurst stations are charging this week. All prices were captured on the morning of Friday, July 8.

• – Route 37 and Commonwealth Boulevard in Manchester: $3.59 regular, $3.75 plus, $3.85 premium.
•  – Route 37 and Route 70 circle, Lakehurst: $3.51 regular, $3.57 plus, $3.75 premium.
•  – Route 70 and Route 547 (Center Street), Lakehurst: $3.57 regular, $3.67 plus, $3.86 premium.
•  – Route 70 and Route 539, Manchester: $3.45 regular, $3.55 plus, $3.65 premium.
• Jersey Gas – Route 530 and Station Road, Whiting: Cash: $3.45 regular, $3.55 plus, $3.65 premium. Credit: $3.51 regular, $3.61 plus, $3.71 premium.
• Quick Chek – Route 70 and Route 571, Manchester: $3.45 regular, $3.59 plus, $3.69 premium.

As of press time Jersey Gas is the only station charging a separate price for cash and credit. For figuring out the local average, Jersey Gas was calculated at $3.48, the average price for a gallon regular purchased from Jersey Gas.