Near $5 Per Gallon Gas Prices Hit Cedar Springs
- Jake Watson
- Apr 30
- 2 min read
CEDAR SPRINGS — Gas prices in Cedar Springs are inching closer to $5 per gallon after jumping an average of 32 cents statewide, and as much as 82 cents at some stations, in just one day, leaving drivers doing quick math at the pump this week.
The spike is being driven by a combination of global and regional pressures. Crude oil prices have climbed amid escalating tensions tied to the U.S. Israel war with Iran, with fears that oil shipments could remain restricted through the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump told aides earlier this week to prepare for the possibility of an extended blockade in the strait.
At the same time, Midwest refinery capacity has tightened. The sudden shutdown of the region’s largest refinery, along with maintenance outages at two others, has reduced supply, pushing prices higher across the region.
The price of Brent crude oil, which is viewed as the global benchmark, recently surged past $126 per barrel, the highest level since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It later cooled and steadied around $114 per barrel as markets reassessed the situation.
Michigan drivers have seen high prices before. According to AAA data, the highest recorded statewide average for regular gasoline was $5.22 per gallon on June 11, 2022.
For now, Cedar Springs residents are feeling the latest jump in real time. Patrick Gillespie was filling up at the Cedar Springs Speedway when he paused to consider the total climbing on the pump.
“It took about $120 to fill my truck now,” Gillespie said. “Getting to work is what costs the most. It affects my weekends now too. I don’t really go anywhere, so I don’t spend as much.”
Commuters and families alike are adjusting. Some are consolidating errands, while others are rethinking summer road trips.
Mark Jensen, a Grand Rapids native stopped at the Meijer gas station off 131 and 17 mile road. He said, if gas prices stay like this, he'll reconsider travel accommodations over summer. "We usually haul our fifth wheel up to Fife Lake every summer, but if gas prices keep on the path they're on, we'll probably be making less trips," he said. "We normally bring the truck each weekend just in case we have to move it, but we'll probably be taking my wife's car now."
Industry analysts say there may be some relief ahead. Wholesale gasoline costs steadied after the rapid uptick, suggesting prices could ease, even slightly, in the coming days as refinery capacity gradually comes back online. Still, retailers are expected to move cautiously.
After such a sharp increase, stations are unlikely to lower prices too quickly in case markets swing again.
For drivers in Cedar Springs, the numbers on the sign remain the focus. Prices have not yet surpassed the record set in 2022, but they are close enough to prompt concern and plenty of conversation across the community.
