Area gas prices not yet following usual seasonal trend
Area gas prices may be trickling downward, but they’re still more than 40 cents higher than they were last year, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.
Western Pennsylvania’s gas prices are averaging $2.795 this week, down two cents from last week and up more than 43 cents from this time last year.
The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in Uniontown is $2.774, according to AAA East Central, and gas prices are averaging $2.79 in Monessen, $2.72 in Charleroi and $2.766 in Connellsville, according to GasBuddy.com.
Despite a five-cent drop in price on the week, Pennsylvania is selling some of the most expensive gas in the country and region at $2.77, which Public and Community Relations Manager Jim Garrity attributed to the state having the most expensive gasoline tax in the country.
Gas prices typically go down in mid-September due to demand typically dropping off and the seasonal switch from summer to winter blend gasoline, Garrity said. Yet last month’s multiple major hurricanes have posed a problem for Gulf Coast refineries, and demand hasn’t declined like it usually does, Garrity said, resulting in an unusual lack of relief for consumers in the fall season.
But Garrity has good news for local drivers.
“There will be savings at the pump in the coming weeks,” Garrity said.