Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.49, up four cents from last Monday. One year ago, the price was $3.54. The New York State average is $3.59, up one cent from last Monday. A year ago, the NYS average was $3.69. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia - $3.52 (down one cent from last Monday)
• Buffalo - $3.58 (no change from last Monday)
• Elmira - $3.39 (up 1 cent from last Monday)
• Ithaca - $3.63 (down 1 cent from last Monday)
• Rochester - $3.61 (no change from last Monday)
• Rome - $3.62 (up 3 cents from last Monday)
• Syracuse - $3.56 (up 1 cent from last Monday)
• Watertown - $3.62 (no change from last Monday)

AAA projects 70.9 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Independence Day holiday travel period, which spans a full week this year. The majority of travelers will take road trips—AAA projects a record 60.6 million people will travel by car over Independence Day week—that’s an additional 2.8 million travelers compared to last year. This year’s number also surpasses 2019 when 55.3 million people traveled by car over July 4th week.

Pump prices are lower than last year’s Independence Day though they have increased slightly in some areas due to demand. Oil prices remain low ranging from $82 to $86 per barrel, which helps keep pump prices down.

Diesel prices are relatively steady. The national average price for diesel is $3.80, up one cent from last Monday. The New York average is $4.25, no change from last Monday.

To conserve fuel, motorists should map routes, avoid peak traffic times like rush hour, and combine errands into one trip while using cruise control when possible. Drivers should also make sure tire pressure is at the vehicle’s recommended level for the best gas mileage while removing any unnecessary and bulky items from the car since it takes more fuel to accelerate a heavy vehicle. Get more tips here: https://gasprices.aaa.com/news/fuel-saving-tips/. Motorists can benefit from comparing pump prices before filling up with the AAA Mobile App for iPhone, iPad, and Android.

AAA members receive discounts at gas stations such as Fastrac, Maple Leaf Market and Shell. Learn more here. AAA members can save on gas by joining the Fuel Rewards at Shell program. Join now at AAA.com/Shell. Motorists can also locate gas prices across the country and stay up-to-date on news and fuel-saving tips at http://gasprices.AAA.com.