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AAA: March Gas Prices Were 'Pure Madness' In Chicago

CHICAGO (CBS) -- In what will surely come as no surprise, AAA says Chicago area gas prices climbed to new heights in March.

As WBBM Newsradio's Regine Schlesinger reports, the motor club is calling the local prices "pure madness."

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's Regine Schlesinger reports

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AAA's monthly fuel gauge report confirms what you already know if you filled your tank last month – gas prices were astronomical.

"The seasonal switch over to a summer blend of gasoline, combined with high prices for oil and especially high prices for the reformulated blend of gasoline used in Chicago left consumers altering daily commute plans and family budgets this month," AAA spokeswoman Beth Mosher said in a news release.

Both the city and the Chicago metropolitan area recorded all-time highs last month with the city hitting the highest average price ever this past Tuesday, $4.68 a gallon.

Just how much did prices rise? In Illinois a gallon of regular unleaded jumped 52 cents in one month and 86 cents since the beginning of the year.

What about April? According to GasBuddy.com, prices in the Chicago area now range from a low of $4.18 a gallon at a Glenwood station to $4.89 at Chicago and Kedzie avenues in the city.

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