BOSTON (WHDH) - For many drivers, budgets are getting a lot tighter heading into the holiday weekend.
In Massachusetts, the average price for a gallon of gas is now $4.17.
“What are you gonna do?” Grace Becchinelli said. “Gotta get gas.”
“It used to cost like $50-$60 to fill on average, but now its definitely a lot more,” Anthony Adams said.
The average price of gas in Massachusetts is more than a dollar higher than this time last year, when it was $3.07 a gallon.
Nationwide, the average is now $4.14, up from $3.19 last year.
AAA said that marks the highest labor gas prices on record. For people who depend on their cars everyday, that can add up fast.
“They’re high, they’re high,” Morgan Wise said. “It’s a huge expense going to and from. I drive from Boston to Worcester everyday so it’s about 100 miles, so gas alone is hundreds of dollars a month. I don’t know how people can afford that.”
If you’re hitting the road for Labor Day Weekend, expect congestion too. AAA predicts the worst travel times Thursday are between 2 and 7 p.m.
MassDOT will open the HOV lane early at 2 p.m. between Boston and Quincy.
Friday’s heaviest traffic is expected from noon until 8 p.m. with Saturday’s peak travel time between 1 and 5 p.m.
Fuel prices are also driving up the cost of flying with domestic flight prices up 2% compared to last year.
For travelers, the difference is something they’re noticing.
“Going to Dallas from here is usually like $400 or $500, and it used to be $300,” Wise said. “I’ve noticed an increase in that.”
Hotel prices have also jumped 9%.
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