Southeast Wisconsin residents change travel plans due to jump in gas prices

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WISCONSIN (CBS 58) -- Increasing gas prices are making people in Southeast Wisconsin rethink their travel plans, and it's bringing consumers across the Wisconsin border.

Triple reported on Friday that the national average for a gallon of gas is $3.84. According to the Gas Buddy website, the average gas price per gallon in Milwaukee is over $3.47. That's up over 18 cents from last week.

I went from putting 25 to 30 dollars now, close to 40 to 45 dollars now," said Daniel Hernandez, a native of Kenosha.

Milwaukee resident Shawyna Anderson made her way to Racine in hopes of getting cheaper gas, but to her surprise, it was even more expensive.

"I hope they go down, but I know they are not because it's escalating," said Anderson.

Gas in Racine is up to $3.69 a gallon. Gas Buddy's website suggests that the closer the gas station is to the Illinois border, the more costly gas will be.

Hernandez said he had to change part of his routine to save cash.

"It's more like not going out much, or if we are going,  we will take all in one car instead of taking two or three cars," said Hernandez.

Compared to neighboring states like Illinois, gas is considerably cheaper. Some parts of Illinois are already seeing gas prices hit the $4 mark.

Some Illinois residents are even crossing the Wisconsin border to get cheaper gas, like Linda Develasco.

"My boyfriend lives up here and I needed gas, but I wasn't going to buy it in Illinois. It's over 4 gallons at home so I came up here, it's cheaper," said Develasco.

Experts at Gas Buddy said the jump in prices is mostly due to the crisis in Ukraine, but also from the transition to summer-blend gasoline.

Those experts share that the national average price of gas per gallon could hit the $4 mark in two to three weeks.

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