Gas hits above $7 mark at one Bay Area station, among the highest in California

MENLO PARK, Calif. - Prices at the pump have been on the rise in California and across the Bay Area in recent weeks, but one gas station on the Peninsula was taking the prize for the most expensive in the region, with a gallon of regular unleaded soaring above the $7 mark. 

In Menlo Park, the Chevron on Alameda de las Pulgas hit $7.29 for regular unleaded and $7.79 for premium over the weekend. 

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By Tuesday, the price per gallon had slid down to $7.09 and $7.69 respectively.

"That station (3600 Alameda De Las Pulgas) does appear to be the highest in the Bay Area at this time according to GasBuddy data, even at $7.09," said Nicole Petersen, a spokesperson for gas price tracking site GasBuddy. 

Petersen also confirmed that the Chevron station was among the highest in California. 

Almost two years ago, the same station was at the center of a KTVU story, because of similarly high prices. 

GasBuddy said its data showed the most expensive price for regular unleaded in California was $8.35 in the desert community of Essex in San Bernardino County.

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AAA figures showed the current statewide average was $5.42, up from $4.98 a month ago. Nationwide, it's $3.66.

Around the Bay Area, the average for regular unleaded stood at:

• $5.71 in Napa
• $5.66 in San Francisco
• $5.55 in Oakland
• $5.51 in San Jose

With the summer driving season soon approaching, industry analysts were keeping a close eye on how the tensions in the Middle East were affecting prices at the pump.

"The situation overseas with war in both the Middle East and Ukraine has the oil market on edge," said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson. 

Despite the uncertainty overseas, experts said motorists may soon see some relief or at least see prices level out, as refineries have now implemented the switch to the more expensive summer grade gasoline.

"As the nationwide changeover to summer gasoline is now behind us, at least one of the three factors that had been actively causing prices to rise in the last couple of months is behind us," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. 

De Haan noted, "The next few weeks should see many refineries wrapping up their work and gasoline output should rise, putting downward pressure on gasoline prices soon."