Here's where gas prices are (not) cheap in the Tri-Cities, Washington and beyond

If your holiday plans include a road trip, top off that gas tank and your well of patience now.

Gas Buddy, a smartphone app that tracks fuel prices, cautions that a recent surge in oil prices will contribute to the highest gas prices in four years during the Independence Day holiday.

And AAA anticipates a 5 percent increase in the number of people traveling 50 or more miles from home this year, most by car. Seattle is the nation's third leading destination, it said.

It all adds up to higher prices at the pump and more traffic on the road.

Increasing global demand helped to push oil prices to $73 per barrel this week, the highest level since 2014.

Gas Buddy predicts gas prices will increase to the highest level since 2014, averaging about $2.90 per gallon over the the Fourth of July.

Washington drivers should be so lucky.

The average gas price in the Evergreen state was close to $3.43 per gallon Friday, compared to about $2.79 a year ago.

In the Tri-Cities, prices hovered around the $3.20 mark on Friday, with a low of $3.11 reported at Costco.

Washington's cheapest gas is in White Swan, where the Cougar Den was charging $2.92, according to Gas Buddy.

If your travels take you through the area, the station is at 620 E. Signal Peak Road., on the Yakama Indian Reservation.

Cougar Den was in the news this week over its long-standing dispute with Washington taxing authorities over whether it is subject to the state's excise tax.

The station purchases wholesale gas from out of state.

This week, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the case, on the recommendation of the U.S. Solicitor General.

For those whose travels have them headed to Western Washington, the state's most expensive gas can be found in Seattle and Bellevue, where prices top $3.90 per gallon.

A round-trip visit to the Seattle area will set you back about $60 in fuel if you drive a mid-sized sedan, Gas Buddy says.

Prices in Idaho and Oregon tend to be a bit lower than those in Washington.

They're hovering around $3 on the low end and rising to the mid-$3 range in the more urban areas, according to Gas Buddy.

State taxes make the difference.

Washington, which does not have a state income tax, levies the highest gas taxes in the nation, 49.4 cents per gallon. That's collected on top of the 18.4 cents per gallon the federal government collects.

Oregon charges 34 cents per gallon, and Idaho 32 cents.

One way to keep fuel costs down is to monitor traffic conditions. The Washington Department of Transportation posts traffic information as well as traffic camera feeds online at wsdot.com/traffic/

AAA Washington advises against traveling Tuesday. Holiday travelers combined with commuters leaving work early will create the worst congestion of the holiday period, it said.

This story was originally published June 29, 2018 at 6:01 PM.