PITTSBURGH — The average price of gasoline across Western Pennsylvania is 16 cents higher this week at $2.265 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.
On the week, Pennsylvania (+8 cents) saw the largest increase among Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states and saw the second biggest jump of all states in the country. Otherwise states in the region saw mostly increases of a few pennies, but no more than a nickel. State averages range between $1.71 in North Carolina to $2.17 in Washington, D.C. In addition to Washington, D.C., New York ($2.15) and Pennsylvania ($2.14) carry the most expensive averages in the region and land among the top 10 highest in the country.
While gasoline stocks saw a slight increase, to push total inventory to nearly 71 million barrels, regional refinery rates dropped just below 50%. As more states in the region move towards opening, which is likely to increase gasoline demand, motorists can expect gas prices to increase, but still remain cheap compared to typical May pump prices.
The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in Bradford is $2.264; in Brookville, $2.248; in DuBois, $2.224; in Erie, $2.265; and in Warren, $2.295.
Pump prices continue to increase across the country with nearly every state’s average pushing more expensive on the week, on average by four cents. At the start of the Memorial Day work week, the national gas price average is $1.87.
The last time the national gas price average leading into the holiday was under $2/gallon was 17 years ago in 2003. That year motorists paid, on average, $1.50 to fill-up. Gas prices this year won’t be as cheap as 2003, but today’s national average is a dollar cheaper than one year ago. While Memorial Day gas prices are likely to remain this cheap, this year’s unofficial kick-off to summer is not going to drive the typical millions of Americans to travel as the country continues to practice social distancing.
Americans can expect gas prices to continue to push more expensive, possibly hitting $2/gallon in the next few weeks. This is mostly due to demand increasing as states re-open. This week will also bring the Environmental Protection Agency’s waiver on the sale of winter-blend gasoline to an end. Stations will switch over to summer-blend gasoline, which is more expensive to produce. Typically, the switchover to summer-blend can cause gas prices to spike during the summer driving season, but that will likely not be the case this year due to the impact of COVID-19 on demand and crude oil prices.
