This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Motorists across the nation are enjoying a reprieve from rising gas prices, but drivers in Utah are getting no such relief.

Pump prices locally have jumped 13 cents month-over-month, bringing the average price Tuesday for a gallon of regular unleaded to $3.54.

This reflects a steady increase Utah has seen since the first of the year, and runs counter to the prevailing downward trend in gasoline costs nationwide, with 46 states seeing a drop in gas prices in the past month. In the first couple of months of the year, Utah's prices were among the lowest in the country, which is typical of costs in the state in winter months, so cyclically it is not unusual to see them trend upward as summer approaches, when prices are higher.

According to the travel services company AAA Utah, Moab had the highest cost per gallon in the state Tuesday, at $3.73, followed by St. George at $3.69 and a three-way tie among Logan, Provo and Vernal at $3.52. The average in Salt Lake City was $3.50, a bump of 15 cents over last month.

Prices also inched up in four other Western states, with Idaho up 6 cents per gallon, Wyoming 4 cents, Colorado 3 cents and Montana 2 cents.

The national average stood at $3.58, 12 cents cheaper than a month ago and a whopping 35 cents less than a year ago. The latter marks the largest such decrease since October 2009.

Twenty-two states have prices lower than Utah's, while Hawaii reports the highest average price in the country at $4.39. California has the highest price in the contiguous 48 states, at $4.02 a gallon.

"Retail gasoline prices in the country surged at the start of 2013 with a record-breaking increase of 49 cents, attributed to somewhat higher crude oil prices, but mostly due to a decline in refinery production and higher gasoline futures prices," Rolayne Fairclough, AAA Utah spokeswoman, said in a statement. "The falling retail gas prices across the country are a result of increased refinery production and economic concerns" that have contributed to a decline in oil prices. —

Gas prices in Utah

Tuesday • $3.54

Week ago • $3.48

Month ago • $3.41

Year ago • $3.71

Record high • $4.22 (July 18, 2008)

National averages

Tuesday • $3.58

Week ago • $3.64

Month ago • $3.70

Year ago • $3.93

Record high • $4.11 ( July 17, 2008) —

Find low-priced gasoline

O Go to UtahGasPrices.com or SaltLakeGasPrices.com