By Alina Panek
CHICAGO (CBS) — Illinois has not seen gas prices this high in seven years due to the limited production strained by the pandemic.
The state’s average is at $3.41 a gallon, while Chicago remains higher at almost $3.82 a gallon.
Illinois is in the top 10 nationally of largest weekly increases, tied with Delaware, at 10 cents a week. The key driver of this price is the cost of crude oil, according to AAA. Bent Crude hit nearly $84 a barrel, up $10 in the past month.
“…Last week’s decision by OPEC and its oil-producing allies to not increase production further only exacerbated the upward momentum for crude oil prices,” said Andrew Gross with AAA.
Last time gas prices were this high was in October 2014.
According to AAA, they are not expecting it to get better. It might be a cold winter this year.