PITTSBURGH — Gas prices in Western Pennsylvania fell by four cents this week to an average of $2.736 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

Overall, gas prices in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast region are following the national trend downward and are expected to continue that path throughout the fall. Even though Pennsylvania’s average is one of the highest in the region ($2.67), the average cost for gasoline is 21 cents cheaper than one month ago.

The average price in Bradford is $2.70; in Brookville, $2.760; in Erie, $2.695; and in Warren, $2.768.

As the national gas price average drops just two cents on the week to $2.47, many states east of the Mississippi are paying as much as eight cents less at the start of this week. While gas prices are more expensive than a year ago, the past five weeks of sustained weekly declines indicate that demand may be leveling out alongside refineries and pipelines returning to pre-hurricane operations.