Apr 22, 2020 2 min read

Pump prices declined across Western Pennsylvania again – but only slightly compared with recent weeks.

The average price of a gallon of unleaded self-serve dipped 2.5 cents, from $2.147 to $2.122, AAA East Central reported Monday evening. This week’s figure is 91.4 cents cheaper than it was in the third week of April 2019, when fuel cost $3.036.

Pennsylvania’s average dropped by nearly four cents, to $2.08 – and has fallen 49 cents over the past six weeks. But the Keystone State has the second-highest average among 12 Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states, a region where only Pennsylvania, New York ($2.22), Washington, D.C. ($2.16) and New Jersey ($2.05) are above $2.00 per gallon. North Carolina, again, has the lowest average – $1.68.

Washington’s price decreased 4.1 cents from $2.225 to $2.184, which is 6.2 cents above the regional figure, but ranks 13th among 22 Western Pennsylvania cities and towns monitored by the association. The city’s average has fallen 58.5 cents since Jan. 1.

New Castle ($1.789), for the fourth consecutive week, has the lowest average across the region, and is one of three towns below $2.00 per gallon. Sharon ($1.929) and Meadville ($1.953) are second and third.

Uniontown’s average dipped 2.7 cents to ($2.240), the highest in the region for three of the past four weeks, slightly above Mercer ($2.232).

Regional gasoline stocks increased again, this time by 1.3 million barrels for a total of 71.8 million. Inventory has risen 11 million barrels over the past month, according to the Energy Information Administration. Regional refinery use, as a result, has decreased by 39%.

Prices are expected to drop more, as refinery rates have dropped and the crude oil price has plummeted.

The national average dropped five cents to $1.81, a year-over-year decrease of $1.03 per gallon. An estimated 25% of stations nationwide are selling gas for $1.49 or less.