ROCKFORD, Ill. — Rising gasoline and diesel prices in Illinois are expected to ripple through the economy, driving up the cost of goods, pressuring businesses and influencing how people work and travel, according to a University of Chicago economist.
AAA ranked Illinois as the eighth most expensive gasoline market in the country last week, with the statewide average price of regular unleaded gasoline reaching $4.86 per gallon and diesel climbing above $5.60, according to data cited by The Center Square. One year earlier, Illinois averages stood at about $3.40 for unleaded and $3.56 for diesel.
Prices have increased at the local level as well. Data from the MyStateline Gas Tracker shows many stations across the Rockford region nearing $5 per gallon for regular unleaded fuel, with some locations already exceeding that mark…