Gas prices top $4 a gallon in areas across Wisconsin, but you can find it cheaper if you shop around

Joe Taschler
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Gas prices were at or above $4 a gallon on Friday across many areas of Wisconsin, including the Milwaukee metro area. 

A check of prices showed wide swings from $3.18 a gallon in Madison to $4.09 a gallon in Abbotsford, according to GasBuddy.com.

The statewide average price on Friday was $3.94 a gallon, according to travel organization AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge survey of gas stations in the state. 

A week ago, the statewide average price was $3.48. A year ago, the statewide average price was $3.04. 

Gas prices are seen on a roadside sign on Monday at Kwik Trip on Maria Drive in Stevens Point. Gas prices spiked over the weekend.

Damage from a fatal refinery fire in Ohio as well as concern about the impact of hurricane season on Gulf of Mexico oil production has contributed to the gas price runup.

Two workers were killed after an explosion and fire Sept. 20 at the more than 100-year-old refinery near Toledo, Ohio. The refinery had processed 160,000 barrels of oil per day.  The refinery could be shut for several months.

Meanwhile, according to data from the Energy Information Administration, gasoline demand has increased slightly while and total domestic gasoline supplies decreased last week, according to AAA. "If demand remains robust as supply tightens, drivers should brace for rising pump prices through the weekend," AAA said in a statement on Thursday.  

Gas prices are also edging higher ahead of a meeting next week of the OPEC oil cartel. OPEC members have been discussing a production cut in order to raise global oil prices, Reuters news service reported, citing anonymous sources.

Oil prices have moved higher this week. The price of a barrel of U.S. benchmark crude oil has risen about $4.50 since Monday. 

The per-barrel price of crude oil makes up about two-thirds of the price of a gallon of gasoline.

Where to find the cheapest gas in Wisconsin

In spots across Wisconsin, the price has topped $4 a gallon. 

In Wausau, the average price was $4.01 a gallon on Friday. In Green Bay, the average price was $3.98. 

In metro Milwaukee, the average in Ozaukee County was at $4.01 and Washington County was within 3 cents of $4. The average in Waukesha County was $3.91. 

Dodge, Calumet, Wood, Portage, Winnebago, Marathon, Green Lake, Marquette, and Waupaca counties are among the areas on Friday that were seeing average prices at or above $4 a gallon, according to AAA.  

A GasBuddy.com list of the cheapest gas prices in the state showed the best prices around Wisconsin this week hovering around $3.40 per gallon. 

Here's where GasBuddy.com says you can find the cheapest gas in Wisconsin. Some of the prices are 24 hours old, so the prices may have risen since then. Also, various retail outlets offer membership and other types of discounts, so prices will vary:

  • Lou Perrine's, 8004 22nd Ave., Kenosha, $3.29
  • Fleet Farm, 213 N. Taylor St., Howard, $3.29
  • Speedway, 6265 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Cudahy, $3.37
  • BP, 1808 Silvernail Road, Waukesha, $3.39
  • BP, 136 Scott St., Fond du Lac, $3.39
  • Sam' Club, 3300 Brumback Blvd, Kenosha, $3.39
  • MotoMart, 3400 E. Calumet St., Appleton, $3.42

GasBuddy.com compiles a list of the cheapest gas prices by county and metro areas in the state. Those listings can be found here.

Contact Joe Taschler at (414) 224-2554 or jtaschler@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeTaschler or Facebook at facebook.com/joe.taschler.1.