Good news: Gas is low as summer driving begins

On Western Boulevard in Raleigh Friday, a gallon of regular unleaded gas cost about $3.42. Elsewhere in the Triangle, it can be had for even less. 

Sheila Harris' eagle eyes found gas at $3.27 per gallon on South Saunders Street in Raleigh. "It's $3.27 here, which is great because right down the street there, they're $3.28." she said. "I was like, 'Why a penny difference?'" 

Garnett Kara also finds the prices are lowest on South Saunders. "This is like the hot spot to get the gas, so this is where everybody comes," he said.

The average price across the Triangle Friday was $3.40 per gallon.

"Prices are trending well lower than I think many of us expected this time of year," said North Carolina State University economist Mike Walden. 

He explained the trend as a matter of supply and demand.

"We're not driving as much per car as we used to," he said, "And, of course, more people are getting more fuel-efficient vehicles."

Walden added a caveat, though. Drivers should not expect prices to continue to sink. History shows, as drivers take to the roads, the price of gas typically rises in the summer months.