California switch to winter-blend gas could mean even lower prices

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- It wasn't that long ago, during the summer in fact, that we were paying nearly $5 a gallon to fuel up our cars.

On Monday, prices at the pump are much better. Looking at gas prices just in Los Angeles County, we're paying $2.93 a gallon on average.

A month ago, we were paying $3.08 a gallon. A year ago, it was $3.34.

The trend is heading downward. It's good news for consumers.

And for more good news about gas prices, on Sunday, the California refinery switched to the less costly winter blend.

Auto Club spokesperson Jeff Spring says that could possibly mean even lower prices coming along.

"The difference in pricing from the summer blend to the winter blend is about 8 cents," he said. "Winter blend is cheaper to produce, and so you would expect prices to be dropping based on that alone."

As much as we all like the lower gas prices, they all mean more people on the roads driving. In other words: more traffic.

"We've seen more congestion," Spring said. "I'm sure anyone you talk to will tell you that their morning commute or evening commute seems to be a little bit longer than it was before."

It's just another example of taking the bad with the good.