BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Gas prices are expected to stabilize ahead of Independence Day, but one big drop that convenience store customers count on won't be coming back.
The state's beloved July 4 Sheetz gas promo won't happen this year, a Sheetz representative confirmed.
The Altoona-based gas station and convenience store chain typically offers an Independence Day special, selling gas for $1.776 per gallon to honor the year the Declaration of Independence was signed (in Philadelphia, of course).
It's an annual promo that often draws hours-long waits across its 700 multi-state locations.
The discount applied only to gas, not diesel.
Last year, Sheetz Chief Executive Officer Travis Sheetz said in a release he hoped the price cut "helps our customers keep a little more change in their wallets as they travel to celebrate the 4th of July."
Six Sheetz stations call the Lehigh Valley home — in Whitehall, Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton. Social media posts flooded with residents sharing long lines for the promo.
At the Sheetz on Trexlertown Road in Allentown, Emily Taskalos said the wait time last year was around 45 minutes long, with nearly 50 cars waiting on the road to enter the gas station.
Current prices
AAA East Central's Gas Price Report indicates a rise in gas prices ahead of the national holiday, with a statewide average 2.3 cents higher than last week.
The state average for a gallon of gas this week is $3.651, up from $3.628, with the Lehigh Valley average slightly lagging at $3.552.
The report also suggests prices could rise over the next 10 days, with a record of 60 million travelers expected to take to the road for Independence Day.
Even though Sheetz's famous July 4 special won't make a return, the Biden-Harris Administration is trying to lower gas prices.
Jared Bernstein, Council of Economic Advisors chair, told LehighValleyNews.com the administration sold 1 million barrels of gasoline from the Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve at the end of June.
The barrels were sold at an average price of $2.34 per gallon.
Albeit a "small" amount in comparison to gas consumption across the country, the quick move was made to impact holiday travel through the weekend, Bernstein said.
"We've seen the gas price down about 20 cents nationally over the past couple of months," he said. "And one way to make sure that trend stays intact over this weekend is the sale of the million barrels of gasoline from the Northeast gasoline supply reserve."
With demand routinely increasing prices around Independence Day, Bernstein compared current costs to last year, adding the reserve sale will likely keep prices stable, than following the typical upward trend.
"But what we've seen this year is that price hasn't gone up much at all."Jared Bernstein, Council of Economic Advisors Chair
Wednesday's average gas price sat at $3.662. This time last year the state average was $3.639.
In the Lehigh Valley, those numbers are significantly closer. Last year's Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton average was $3.574, whereas this year it's currently $3.570.
"We always see the gas price go up around July 4, and that's to be expected," Bernstein said. "Higher demand, higher price, we always see the gas price go up. But what we've seen this year is that price hasn't gone up much at all."
