May 28, 2020 2 min read

Gasoline prices jumped significantly for a second consecutive week in Western Pennsylvania.

The average price of a gallon of unleaded self-serve rose 7.7 cents, from $2.265 a week ago to $2.342, AAA East Central reported Tuesday. This week’s figure is 68.8 cents cheaper than it was at the end of 2019, when fuel cost $3.030.

Pennsylvania’s average increased eight cents for the second straight week, to $2.22 – 33 cents cheaper than it was 12 weeks ago. That is the highest price among states in the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast region, slightly above New York (2.18). Virginia ($1.75) has the lowest regional average.

The national figure jumped eight cents to $1.96, which is 87 cents cheaper than a year ago.

Locally, the city of Washington endured a fourth straight weekly increase, this one 5.2 cents from $2.295 to $2.347. That is a half-center higher than the Pittsburgh regional average, and ranks 14th among 22 Western Pennsylvania cities and towns monitored by AAA. The city’s average has fallen 42.2 cents since Jan. 1.

Uniontown is one spot behind, at 15th, despite a 7.0-cent increase to $2.348.

New Castle, for the ninth straight week, has the lowest regional average – $2.272. But that is 9.2 cents higher than a week ago. DuBois ($2.316) has the second-cheapest fuel.

Latrobe ($2.387) has the most-expensive gas, ahead of four towns tied at $2.359: Mercer, Oil City, Sharon and Warren.

Regional gasoline stocks increased for a second consecutive week, to slightly less than 72 million barrels, according to the Energy Information Administration. Refinery utilization has remained near 50% for the past four weeks.

Gasoline prices are expected to continue to rise in upcoming weeks.