Nov 25, 2020 2 min read

For the fifth time in six weeks, gasoline prices have declined across Western Pennsylvania.

The average price of a gallon of unleaded self-serve is $2.466 this week, 3.8 cents cheaper than a week ago, AAA East Central reported. AAA monitors weekly prices in 23 cities and towns across the region.

This is the ninth week in a row the regional average has fluctuated by a few pennies or less. The newest figure is 40.7 cents lower than it was a year ago, at $2.873.

Following a slight increase last week, fuel prices in the greater Washington area dropped for the fourth time in five weeks. The local average is $2.195, a dropoff of 5.7 cents from $2.252. Gasoline in and near the city costs 49.3 less per gallon than it did on Jan. 1.

Washington’s new pump price is the second lowest in the region for the fourth consecutive week, a tad higher than New Castle ($2.156) each time.

One week after experiencing a 4.8-cent bump, Uniontown saw its average decline 5.2 cents to $2.506, which ranks 12th lowest regionally – exactly in the middle. Uniontown’s figure – again – is substantially higher than Washington’s, by 31.1 cents a gallon.

Oil City has the region’s highest average, $2.593, edging Warren ($2.592).

Pennsylvania’s average is $2.452, a 2.2-cent drop from last week. The national figure decreased two cents to $2.10, the lowest Thanksgiving average since 2015, when fuel cost $2.05. The new U.S. price, however, may not be an incentive to hit the roadways. AAA is forecasting a decrease in holiday travel because of pandemic concerns.

The agency says half of all states have averages 50 to 75 cents lower than a year ago. States in the West and South are posting the largest year-over-year savings, with the price in most Southern states down $1.99 a gallon or more.

The Energy Information Administration reported that demand for the week ending Nov. 13 was 8.2 million barrels per day, the lowest reading since mid-June.