After a pair of gas stations locally reported their gas supplies being depleted due to tankers running behind, relief at the pump, and the wallet, is soon on the way.
“We’ve hit the peak on prices,” Stephanie Milani, public affairs specialist with AAA – The Auto Club, told the Elizabethton Star Tuesday afternoon. “There’s been fuel flowing regularly from the Colonial Pipeline as early as last Wednesday.”
Milani also stated that any shortage at gas stations would be reportedly caused by tankers possibly experiencing an influx of traveling due to the leak.
“I don’t really have an exit map of seeing the status of tankers,” Milani said. “But I would say any holdups on fuel transportation would start to taper off now.”
Milani added that the average in the Tri-Cities for gas is at $2.13 as of Tuesday, which is up from $2.05. While the prices have risen over the week, the spokeswoman stated that relief is on the way.
“It would say that we’ve reached our peak,” she added. “While prices did go up over the week, we’ve even seen a slight decline on prices locally, throughout the day. With work being done on the Colonial Pipeline now, it is safe to say we will see prices start going down.”
And that drop off can be expected throughout the remainder of the year.
“Once we get back on track, residents can expect prices to drop off even more heading to the end of the year,” Milani said. “We’re past the summer travel season now and the winter petroleum is cheaper with less additives being added to fuel.”