AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Gas prices across much of Texas held relatively steady this week, as crude oil prices stabilized over the week. That's the word from this week's AAA Texas Weekend Gas Watch.
Austin-area drivers are seeing a slight increase, with the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded up two cents this week to $3.10 a gallon. That's $1.15 cheaper than this time a year ago, when drivers were paying an average of $4.25 a gallon.
The statewide average is down one cent this week to $3.08, which is $1.19 cheaper than a year ago.
Drivers in El Paso are paying the most on average at $3.45 per gallon, while drivers in McAllen are paying the least at $2.88 per gallon.
Nationally, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded is $3.54, which is the same when compared to this day last week and $1.03 less than the price per gallon at this same time last year.
Analysts say energy markets have been, in relative terms, balanced for the past several days, which may be contributing to mostly limited changes in prices at the pump. The outlook for travel remains strong, so market watchers will be waiting to see how that forecast may influence gas price averages.
AAA is predicting that 3.5 million Texans will travel 50 miles or more for the upcoming Memorial Day holiday. That's a 7 percent increase over 2022, and the second-highest total since AAA began tracking data in 2000.