Here’s Why West Michigan Gas Prices Are Rising Before Labor Day

If you’ve noticed prices at the pump creeping up yet again in West Michigan, you’re not imagining things.

A major storm recently knocked out one of the largest refineries in the Midwest, and that disruption has sent shockwaves through the regional fuel supply. The refinery produces millions of gallons of gasoline every day, and with operations temporarily down, the wholesale price of gas has jumped sharply.

Here in West Michigan, the impact has been immediate.

The two main delivery points for gasoline in Ferrysburg and Muskegon saw wholesale prices spike nearly 25 cents per gallon after the shutdown.

For gas stations, that means any new fuel they purchased this week came with a much higher price tag. Drivers felt the sting quickly, with prices jumping again this week even after cycling back to around $3.39 per gallon just last week.

After thinking we were finally seeing the end of the summer travel surge, we’re back at it again.

Normally, West Michigan’s fuel market tends to cycle up in price every two weeks during the summer. This year, however, drivers have faced back-to-back increases thanks to the refinery outage.

As Labor Day weekend approaches, the good news is that prices are likely to start dipping again once supply stabilizes.

For travelers hoping to stretch their dollars, there are a few ways to save:

• Filling up earlier in the week often means beating the weekend rush, when prices can climb more quickly.
• Driving at steady speeds and avoiding unnecessary idling can help conserve fuel on longer trips.
• Planning routes ahead of time to avoid heavy traffic can also make a noticeable difference.
• Even small changes in driving habits can add up, especially when gas prices are running high during a holiday weekend.

Safe travels, and try waiting until the weekend to fill up to save a few bucks, and maybe it’s not the worst time to redeem those fuel rewards if you have them stacked up.