Michigan gas prices drop 11 cents from a week ago, AAA says

Gas prices in Michigan dropped 11 cents per gallon for unleaded fuel in the past week, AAA-The Auto Club Group says. 

The average cost of a gallon of unleaded gas in Michigan is $4.16, AAA said Monday. That's down 11 cents from a week ago, down 10 cents from a month ago, but still 85 cents higher than this time last year. 

At that price point, motorists are paying about $62 for a 15-gallon tank of gasoline. 

AAA issues gas price trend reports on Mondays and maintains a gas price database that is updated daily. 

Gas price analysts from AAA and Gas Buddy both note that prices remain volatile and are not usually this high in late summer. If the trends hold up, the national average price of gasoline on Labor Day will be above $4, which Gas Buddy's analyst Patrick De Haan said would be a record high for that holiday. 

One of the reasons that prices vary from state to state is how state gas taxes are calculated. Some states temporarily halted the collection of state gas taxes due to high oil prices this spring and summer. Michigan still collects state gas taxes, but revoked the annual requirement for a summer blend of gasoline in Southeast Michigan, a step that is intended to help prevent smog. 

The most expensive gas price averages this week in Michigan are in Ann Arbor ($4.25), Metro Detroit ($4.21) and Jackson ($4.15). 

The least expensive gas price averages this week in Michigan are in Flint ($4.06), Grand Rapids ($4.08) and Saginaw ($4.08).