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Utah gasoline finally averages under $2 a gallon

(Gene J. Puskar | AP file photo) In this Sept. 16, 2019, file photo, a woman pumps gas at a convenience store in Pittsburgh. Utah's gas prices have taken a big dip but are still higher than in most states.

  | May 4, 2020, 6:16 p.m.
| Updated: 9:44 p.m.

The average price of gasoline in Utah has finally dropped below $2 a gallon, weeks after most of the rest of the nation. And some Salt Lake County gas stations were selling fuel for just $1.47 a gallon on Monday morning.

Utah saw the nation’s biggest drop in the price of gasoline during the past week, but it still remains well above the national average, according to national monitoring by the AAA travel services company.

Utah’s belated price drop now comes as gasoline prices elsewhere nationally started to creep up during the past week as more states reopened after coronavirus shutdowns.

“As some states begin to reopen businesses, those states will likely see demand increase and pump prices will likely follow suit,” said Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson. “Although U.S. gasoline demand has incrementally increased, it remains below 6 million” barrels per day.

On Monday, the average price per gallon for regular gasoline in Utah was $1.983, or 20 cents higher than the national average of $1.784. Utah ranked as the ninth most expensive for gasoline among the states.

However, Utah’s price per gallon had dropped by 6 cents during the week from $2.408 — tying with Montana for the biggest drop in any state. Utah’s average is also down by 33 cents in the past month.

Some states saw big increases during the last week, including Wisconsin (up 27 cents a gallon), Ohio (19 cents) and Indiana (16 cents).

States with the cheapest average retail gasoline prices were Oklahoma ($1.37 a gallon), Arkansas ($1.39) and Missouri ($1.44). Hawaii was the most expensive at $3.16.

The price of gasoline varied greatly around Utah on Monday. For example, while the average price was $1.98 a gallon in Salt Lake County, a Costco in West Valley City was selling it for $1.47.

(Lee Davidson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Gas was selling for a $1.47 a gallon on Monday, May 4, 2020, at a Costco in West Valley City.

The cheapest average price among Utah’s 29 counties was in Sevier at just $1.31 a gallon, followed by Juab at $1.88 and Utah at $1.89.

The highest average among the counties was $2.24 in Piute and $2.23 in Beaver, Garfield and Rich.

Among other Wasatch Front counties, Davis and Weber reported a $2 a gallon average price.