Gas prices in the Pittsburgh area are spiking, here's why and how you can save money

The price of gas when you head to the pump isn't exactly reassuring right now, especially as prices spike as spring arrives, so how can you stretch your dollar? 

What is the average gas price in western Pennsylvania?

"Pittsburgh's average gas prices are holding at about $3.18 a gallon," explained GasBuddy's Patrick de Haan. "That is up five cents in the last month." 

de Haan is GasBuddy's Chief Oil Analyst, and he said that between the uncertainty with Iran and as we head toward gas stations putting out the summer blend, it's leading to price increases. 

"I would look for, probably by mid-to-late March, prices in Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh are going to probably start going up noticeably, regardless of the situation in Iran," he said. 

Adding to the frustration is that the AAA gas map shows up to a 16-cent difference in average prices from county to county in western Pennsylvania. 

"It can change, even when it comes down to what's happening in the local areas," said Jim Garrity of AAA East Central. "What are the gas stations doing to compete with each other?" 

Why are gas prices so high in the Pittsburgh area?

In eastern Pennsylvania, many places are under $3 per gallon, and according to Garrity, it's because of production. 

"In Allegheny County, we don't have any refineries as they do in Philadelphia," he explained. "In Philadelphia, they're refining the gasoline right there." 

Garrity said the disparity in cost is basically due to transportation, saying that we have to factor in that cost and the cost of using the trucks. 

Where can I find cheap gas?

The reality, de Haan said, is most folks aren't going to drive even 15 miles to get cheaper gas. 

"That's why motorists should be using apps like Google Maps and GasBuddy in Waze before they fill their tanks up, because you can't practically learn all of those hot spots, but you can use those apps to make it very simple to find lower prices," he said. 

Some of those places include the Ruffdale area, where stations have prices as low as $2.65, or Industry, Lawrence County, where the average is in the $3 range because they have to compete with the cheaper gas in Ohio just a few miles away. 

But, if you blink, those prices may change, especially today, because according to de Haan, a study of prices over the last year showed that Wednesday-Friday are not the best days to fill up. According to their study, the cheapest day in Pennsylvania is Saturday.