LI Gas Prices Drop Slightly As Millions Travel For July 4th Weekend

GARDEN CITY, NY — As Americans prepare for the July 4th weekend, many Long Islanders will hit the road and they'll find cheaper gas prices.

It follows a tumultuous week for oil and gas markets that ultimately ended with sharply lower crude oil prices and less pressure on prices at the pump, AAA Northeast said.

Gas is $3.11 per gallon in Nassau County, while it's $3.15 per gallon in Suffolk, as of June 30, according to AAA. That's down a penny from a week early.

It's cheaper on the Island than what you'll find in the five boroughs, where the average price is $3.21 per gallon as of June 30.

The national average is $3.18, AAA said.

"Recent geopolitical events showcased the volatile nature of oil and gas markets, but right now supply and demand are the primary factors impacting how much it costs to fill our tanks," said Robert Sinclair of AAA Northeast. "While regional pump prices are up slightly from a month ago, they remain more than 40 cents lower per gallon than this time last year — great news for those heading out for Fourth of July road trips."

AAA projects more than 60 million will travel by car, during the Fourth of July weekend, a 2.2 percent increase over last year.

Drivers get minimal relief at the pump over the last week, but it's an average of 38 cents cheaper on Long Island compared to this time a year ago, AAA said.