Gasoline prices closed winter with a departing slap, increasing last week for the fourth consecutive week. Since prices began creeping upward in mid February, the average listing for a gallon of self-service regular fuel has grown by about 9 cents per gallon in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire, according to price tracking by the auto club AAA.
Massachusetts drivers saw prices increase just under 2 cents per gallon last week, reaching $2.745 on Wednesday, compared to $2.729 seven days earlier. Wednesday's Bay State average was 85 cents above the $1.892 recorded on the same day last year, according to AAA.
The New Hampshire average rose by two pennies over the seven-day span. On Wednesday AAA reported a state-wide average of $2.701, compared to $2.681 on week earlier. On the same day last year, when the AAA average was $1.870 for self-service regular, Granite State drivers paid about 83 cents less than Wednesday's figure.
Nationally, the U.S. average reached $2.789 on Wednesday, a 2.1 cent rise from the prior Wednesday's average of $2.768, the auto club reported. Wednesday's U.S. average was 88 cents higher than the $1.910 compiled on the same day of 2009.
