By Robert Barron, Staff Writer
May 12, 2008 12:17 am
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Enid motorists are feeling the pinch as gas prices rose here after a more-than-$2 hike in oil prices before the weekend.
Meanwhile in other parts of the state, prices were almost 20 cents cheaper Saturday and Sun-day.
Gasoline prices — which were about $3.55 in many gas stations in Enid Friday — have risen here into the $3.70-range. Just before the increase on Friday the cost of oil hit $126 per barrel. West Texas Inter-mediate crude prices rose from $123.65 on Thurs-day to $125.94 Friday, an increase of about $2.20.
The Conoco store at 10th and Garriott advertised $3.73 Sunday. Other Enid stores’ gas prices Sunday were $3.75 at Holdings, Oakwood and Randolph, and the Sinclair station, 700 S. Oakwood.
A clerk at the 10th Street Conoco store said the store did not raise their prices until Saturday. She recalled being very busy Friday because they still had prices at $3.59. The employee, who did not wish to be named, said they are told what price to set gasoline by their corporate office.
“People complain about it, but they complained when it was $3.59 and when it was lower. They always complain. Gas prices are a sore subject with everyone who puts gas in their car,” she said.
Sooner Stop, on West Randolph, often one of the lowest priced vendors in Enid also was at $3.73 Sunday.
Across the state
Love’s on Interstate 35 and Fountain Road, near Tonkawa, was selling $3.55 about 2 p.m. Sunday. The interstate typically has higher prices.
Gas at Eastside Express in Fairview was priced at $3.55 Sunday. Lahoma Corner Store was selling unleaded at $3.58.
A random check of prices around the state, using gasbuddy.com, showed Oklaho-ma City lower than Enid by nearly 20 cents. Prices Sunday ranged from $3.43 at the Conoco station at 906 S.W. 104th, $3.45 at Phillips 66 at 501 S. Morgan, $3.51 at the Seven-Eleven store at Hef-ner and May and $3.55 at a Pilot store, 400 S. Morgan.
In Tulsa prices were higher but still lower than Enid. The Phillips 66 store at 51st and Wheeling and Sinclair store at 51st and Utica ad-vertised $3.59, ac-cording to gasbud dy.com, while the Shell station at 4024 S. Yale advertised at $3.69 per gallon.
At $3.34 per gallon, Miami, Okla., has the lowest price in the state as of early Saturday, according to gasbuddy.com.
Medford actually came in as the highest in the state, according to the Web site, with price at $3.78. That price was followed by the range in Enid and $3.70 in Watonga.
County sore spot
Fuel prices not only are affecting motor-ists but county governments, as costs of materials rise. Some county officials have said they may have to stop some road and bridge construction. County Commission-ers have asked for a $25 million pot from which counties can borrow to purchase bridge construction materials. There are no funds in the state budget, recently negotiated, for county bridges, one of the greatest needs in Oklahoma, said Cindy Bobbitt, chairman of Grant County Commissioners.
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