Finding Cheaper Gas in Mount Vernon

The automobile group AAA Mid-Atlantic reported a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.69 statewide, but drivers in Mount Vernon are paying on average $3.90 for a gallon of regular gas, according to AAA's Fuel Price Finder.

The national average price for regular grade gasoline was $3.69 as of Friday, according to AAA.

Gas prices are one of several factors pushing people toward public transit. Americans took 10.4 billion trips on public transportation in 2011—the highest level of ridership since 1957, the American Public Transportation Association reported this morning.

Even those who are still driving are making changes, like paying more attention to gas rewards programs and driving out of their way for less expensive gas. Unfortunately, driving a few miles down the road to save a few cents doesn’t always pay off.

“Shopping with your steering wheel is a quick way to save; however, motorists who want to make driving out of their way to save ‘worth it’ will need to save about 10 cents per gallon at a station that is only about two miles out of their way,” according to AAA Mid-Atlantic, for vehicles that average 20 miles per gallon at today’s statewide gas price average.

Looking for gas prices in Mount Vernon? As of about 3:15 p.m. on Monday, gas was $3.95 at the station at 8500 Richmond Highway, according to MapQuest's Gas Tracker. At the Woodlawn Gulf station at 8689 Richmond Highway, the Gas Tracker showed a gallon of regular going for $3.87.

Patch's traffic and gas section provides updates on local traffic conditions and the cheapest gas in Mount Vernon.