Retail gasoline prices climbed for a 15th week in a row in Texas this week.

The weekly AAA Texas gas price survey shows regular-grade gasoline in the 11 Texas cities polled climbed an average of eight cents to $2.95 per gallon. That's just a penny a gallon from the record of $2.96 reached in the wake of Hurricane Rita.

Nationally, the average climbed eight cents to $3.04 per gallon.

Auto club spokeswoman Rose Rougeau says Memorial Day holiday travel is expected to increase by two percent from last year. But she predicts travelers will stay closer to home in cheaper hotels and dine at cheaper restaurants.

In recent weeks, the auto club has blamed strong consumer demand, reduced domestic output because of refinery problems and lower gas imports for the climbing prices.

The survey shows the state's most expensive retail gas prices are found in Amarillo, where regular-grade averages $3.21 per gallon this week. That's up 13 cents from last week. The cheapest gas is found in San Antonio, where regular-grade rose six cents to an average of $2.86 per gallon.

The average price of a gallon of regular unleaded in the Austin area is $2.90, up 6.2 cents from last week.