PITTSBURGH — The average price of gasoline across Western Pennsylvania is five cents higher this week at $2.863 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.
Gas prices are as much as six cents more expensive for motorists across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states compared to last Monday, except in Vermont and Massachusetts. Pennsylvania ($2.79) ranks among the top 10 most expensive state averages in the country. In the region, motorists can find gas as cheap as $2.35 in Virginia and $2.40 in Delaware.
Regional gasoline stocks decreased by 600,000 barrels, dropping total stock levels to 62.3 million barrels, per Energy Information Administration (EIA) data for week ending Dec. 20. In the week ahead, gas prices are likely to see continued increases.
The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in Bradford is $2.939; in Brookville, $2.806; in DuBois, $2.864; in Erie, $2.891; and in Warren, $2.899.
A year-end spike in road trip travel due to the holidays helped to push the national average more expensive on the week — up four cents to $2.58. Compared to last month, the national average is the same price, but 31 cents more expensive than the end of 2018. The majority of states saw gas prices increase in the last week – some by as much as a nickel to a dime, but any spikes in gas prices that motorists are seeing will likely be short-lived.
In 2019, the national gas price average was $2.61, which is ten cents cheaper than the 2018 average of $2.71.
