The national average price of gasoline climbed 5.5 cents to $3.651 per gallon and is now more costly than it was at this time a year ago, according to federal data.

Driven by spiking ethanol prices, gasoline continued its upward march that began in early February for the week ending April 14, reports the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Gasoline costs 10.9 cents more than it did during the comparable week in 2013.

During the week, gasoline prices rose in eight of the nine U.S. regions tracked by the EIA, falling only in the Rocky Mountain region where it lost a scant eight-tenths of a cent. Gasoline costs at least $3.50 per gallon in 35 of the 50 states, according to AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report.

Meanwhile, the price of diesel fell seven-tenths of a cent to $3.952 per gallon during the week. The price of diesel is now 1 cent higher that it was a year ago.