Gas prices climb to nearly $5 a gallon as costs rise across Pittsburgh region

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:00]First though, beginning of the work week, and if you filled the gas tank today, it may still smart. The national average price per gallon now 452. The average in Pennsylvania higher, 467, and here in the Pittsburgh region, we're paying even more, 491 on average. And tonight, we're going to break that down even more for you. Thanks for joining us at 5. I'm Ken Rice.

[00:00:19]>> And I'm Christine Sorensen. We want to compare what you were paying a year ago to fill up to what you're paying today.

[00:00:25]And we'll use a 2026 Honda Civic Type R for this comparison. It has a 12-gallon gas tank. Now, this time last year in Pittsburgh with gas averaging 355 a gallon, you could have filled up that Honda Civic for $42 and change. And today, that same 12-gallon fill-up at 491 a gallon would cost you just under $59.

[00:00:46]That amounts to an extra $16.32.

[00:00:49]And again, that's using the Pittsburgh regional average, but things are a little different just across the state line. West Virginia is avering averaging 440 a gallon, 50 cents less.

[00:00:59]>> Yeah, is that tempting Pittsburgh drivers to cross the border to fill up?

[00:01:03]Chris Huffman joins us live. So, Chris, tell us what you're finding out.

[00:01:09]Well, Christine and Ken, here in Weirton, West Virginia, we got see uh we used to see about 447. We saw as low as 445. We didn't see a ton of people crossing over from PA. While it's still cheaper here, it might not be as advantageous to drive 45 minutes to an hour down here just to get gas. A few people we did speak with though, who were driving across several states, say, "If you're looking for real relief real relief, you got to go a lot further down I-79 to see it."

[00:01:37]While it might not be beneficial to everyone in the Pittsburgh area to jump across the state line to fill up, for people that live near it, there is some marginal relief in West Virginia.

[00:01:47]AAA numbers for eastern Ohio counties are about the same or even higher than counties like Washington, Beaver, Green, and Lawrence. They're pretty steep right now, it seems like. We ran into a couple of people who drive between the deep south and here. The only relief they had was down there. Seems like they're up all the way from Arkansas to here really and everywhere in between. We spoke with a truck driver who says $1,000 at the pump used to get him pretty far and now it won't even fill up his tank. It's horrible. I I feel sorry for the old people and the single mothers. I really do.

[00:02:19]It's crazy. I was just in Morgantown and I don't even reme- I think it was like close to $5. While the Pittsburgh region is used to paying higher prices, some of the tri-state area are being hit hard. Carrie Rock, who lives in West Virginia, is currently not working, cutting back on expenses as gas and other costs skyrocket.

[00:02:39]>> I don't even have cable anymore. It's just the internet and our cell phones.

[00:02:43]You know, even food, you have to cut back on food. AAA says prices in West Virginia at the same time last year were $3.02.

[00:02:51]That's roughly a 45% increase in a year.

[00:02:58]Yeah, and again, parts of Ohio are more expensive than staying inside Pennsylvania. It saw an increase of about 57% from this time last year. Pennsylvania actually saw the lowest increase at only 42% again from this time last year according to AAA's number AAA's numbers, that is.

[00:03:18]Live this evening and we're in West Virginia, Chris Hoffman, KDKA-TV News.

[00:03:22]>> Chris, thanks. And oil prices are climbing after President Trump's apparent rejection of Iran's latest proposal to end the conflict. Iran is reportedly demanding control over the Strait of Hormuz. Today, Trump said he wants to suspend the federal gas tax for an indefinite period to ease gas prices.

[00:03:39]It would require approval from Congress and it's a step lawmakers have declined to take in the past.

[00:03:45]How long are you going to suspend that tax for?

[00:03:48]Uh till it's appropriate, yeah, till the to >> It's a it's a you know, it's a small percentage, but it's a, you know, it's still money.

[00:03:56]The federal gas tax currently adds about 18 cents per gallon.