Gas Price Update: IL Prices Up 42 Cents In 1 Month, AAA Says

PLAINFIELD, IL — The average price for a gallon of gas in Illinois continues soaring, even more so in Will County, according to AAA.

As of Thursday, the average price for a gallon of gas in Illinois was $4.06 — that's up 14 cents from a week ago and 42 cents from a month ago, AAA data shows.

At around $4.24 per gallon in Will County, gas prices were well above the state average. The last time Patch took a look at gas prices in the county, they were averaging $3.75 per gallon.

Nationally, the price per gallon of gas is going for an average of $3.64 Thursday.

One reason for the continued increase is the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries' announcement last week saying it would cut production by over a million barrels per day. As a result, crude oil prices surged to more than $80 a barrel, according to AAA.

"The oil market has had a few days to digest the OPEC news and speculate about the reason. This has led to the price of oil stabilizing for now," Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson, said in a statement, "but the cost of oil accounts for more than 50% of what we pay at the pump, so drivers may not catch a break at the pump any time soon."

According to GasBuddy, the cheapest gas in Plainfield is selling for $3.79 per gallon at Citgo, 16141 W. Lincoln Highway. Here is what other stations around town are charging:

• Shell, 11900 S. Route 59: $3.95 per gallon
• Shell, 24725 W. 143rd St.: $4.02 per gallon
• BP, 13500 S. Route 59: $4.29 per gallon
• Exxon, 15809 S. Route 59: $4.29 per gallon
• Meijer, 13705 S. Route 59: $4.29 per gallon