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Gas costs impacting summer vacation plans for many

Local gas prices are up about 58 cents a gallon from a year ago.
Alex Crichton
Local gas prices are up about 58 cents a gallon from a year ago.

If your summer plans include a driving vacation, prepare to budget more for gasoline.

According to new figures from AA A, gasoline expenses are accounting, on average, for seven percent of an American's annual income.

That's up one and a half percent from last summer, according to AAA spokesperson Lindsay Kensy.

"We will be spending about $69 dollars more a month for gas, so if you think about that, that's kind of a big chunk of change per month, but we don't see it stopping anyone from taking a road trip this summer," she said.

Gas averages over three dollars a gallon in New York, and that's the cutoff point for many residents when it comes to making travel plans this summer.

"In the northeast, 25 percent of respondents said they would change travel plans at the three doll mark.  But it would have to go up to 3 dollars and 50 cents for about 40 percent of people traveling this summer to maybe change their plans a bit," she said.

And nearly two-thirds of gas stations are selling gas for more than $3 dollars a gallon currently.

That compares to just one percent of stations a year ago.

For boaters, prepare for a little sticker shock at the pumps.

An informal survey of several marinas in the area indicates the average price for a gallon of marine fuel is around $4.22.