Gas prices rise 19 cents, survey says

(CNN) - Gasoline prices in the United States continue to rise, according to a survey published on Sunday.

Prices rose 19.29 cents per gallon over the last two weeks, bringing the average price of self-serve regular to just over $2.49, according to the May 29 Lundberg Survey.

"The price has been rising for 10 weeks. Over the 10 weeks, it has been a rise of just over 54 cents a gallon," said survey publisher Trilby Lundberg, who said most of the large hike has come in the past five weeks.

She said most of that rise comes from higher crude oil prices. "The rise in oil prices comes not from a surge in oil demand but from the weaker U.S. dollar," she said.

Rising ethanol prices and costs from smog prevention programs also contribute to the rise in prices, she said.

Despite the price hikes at the pump, the current price is $1.30 below the level a year ago. But she said that isn't deep enough to create the growth of gasoline demand. Such demand is shrinking because of rising unemployment.

About 5,000 gas stations around the country were surveyed. The city with the lowest average price was Tucson, Arizona, where a gallon of self-serve regular costs $2.22. The highest average price was Chicago at $2.76.