Virginia Gas Prices: What It Costs For Labor Day Weekend 2022

VIRGINIA — As Northern Virginia residents hit the roads ahead of the Labor Day weekend, they won't feel much relief as they're fueling up their tanks.

Gas prices continue to trend downward with an average of $3.61 in Virginia, but prices won't reach the $2.96 average at this time last year. The average is higher in Northern Virginia — $3.79 compared to $3.06 last year. According to AAA, drivers are seeing some of the highest Labor Day gas prices, with 2012 being the last time prices were this high in Virginia.

Nevertheless, the prices are an improvement from previous months. A month ago, the Virginia gas price average was $3.99, and the Northern Virginia gas price average was $4.16.

At a peak, the average had been $4.86 in Virginia on June 14 and $5.04 in Northern Virginia on June 15.

Despite the continuing trend of higher demand and tighter supply, prices at the pump have fallen due to lower oil prices. Crude oil prices fell "amid market concerns that crude demand will fall if economic growth slows or stalls due to a recession," according to an AAA news release.

Just in time for millions of Americans to hit the road for Labor Day, the average price of gasoline nationwide is $3.799 per gallon, the most common price is $3.499, the average of the lowest 10 percent is $3.16, while the median price in the U.S. is $3.65 a gallon, Patrick DeHaan, analyst for GasBuddy tweeted Thursday.

As of Thursday, here's what AAA said drivers are paying for gas in and around Northern Virginia:

• Fairfax County: $3.96 per gallon
• Arlington County: $3.787 per gallon
• Alexandria: $3.882 per gallon
• Fairfax City: $3.964 per gallon
• Falls Church: $3.755 per gallon
• Loudoun County: $3.911 per gallon
• Prince William County: $3.737 per gallon
• Manassas: $3.732 per gallon
• Stafford County: $3.604 per gallon
• Fredericksburg: $3.503 per gallon
• Spotsylvania County: $3.441 per gallon
• Fauquier County: $3.764 per gallon

Labor Day Weekend Traffic Projections

AAA doesn't expect gas prices to deter travelers from taking road trips.

"As the summer travel season draws to an end with the upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend, the roads could be busy as AAA anticipates travel volume could reach pre-pandemic levels, mirroring the trends seen for the holidays in May and July," said Morgan Dean, AAA Mid-Atlantic's manager of public and government affairs in Virginia.

AAA expects the peak travel time in the DC and Virginia area to be Friday afternoon as commuters heading home from work mix with travelers heading to destinations. Traffic could also be heavy late Monday afternoon as travelers return from the holiday weekend. AAA encourages travelers with flexibility to consider traveling at off-peak times to avoid holiday weekend traffic.

The Virginia Department of Transportation also predicts peak travel times based on historical data from the Labor Day weekend travel trends map. VDOT expects moderate to heavy congestion from noon to 7 p.m. on Friday and throughout the holiday weekend into Monday.

To ease holiday weekend travel, VDOT will lift highway work zones and most lane closures on interstates and other major roads from noon Friday until noon Tuesday. In Northern Virginia, HOV restrictions on I-66 and rush-hour tolls on I-66 Express Lanes inside the Beltway will be lifted on Monday. Schedules for the reversible 95 and 395 Express lanes are provided at www.expresslanes.com.

In Hampton Roads, HOV restrictions and Express Lanes tolls will be lifted Monday on the I-64/I-264/I-564 HOV Diamond Lanes and 64 Express Lanes. The 64 Express Lanes in Norfolk have no cost outside normal operating hours. Local traffic to Virginia Beach is encouraged to use I-664 Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel instead of the I-64 Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. Traffic to Outer Banks is encouraged to use I-664 and Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel.

Some semi-permanent work zones may remain, and drivers can check for lane closures on VDOT's website.

Drivers can check real-time traffic information in Virginia using 511 Virginia.