PARKERSBURG – The nationwide average price of a gallon of gasoline has dropped for four weeks in a row and is under $4, a trend reflected on both sides of the Ohio River in the region.

The average price for gasoline across northern West Virginia was $3.726 per gallon on Monday, 10 cents lower than the previous week, according to auto club AAA.

In South Central Ohio, the decrease was even greater, as the average dropped 22 cents to $3.981.

Crude oil prices continue to fall as the U.S. and Iran work on a deal to end the war that began Feb. 28, including fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The sliding prices come as millions of Americans prepare to travel for Independence Day in record numbers starting next weekend, the release said.

Monday’s national average was 63 cents less than a month ago but 71 cents more than a year ago.

Marietta’s average for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline was $4.168 on Monday, down from $4.383 the previous week. In Athens, the average dropped from $4.357 last week to $4.185 this week. The lowest price in the region was $3.708 in East Liverpool.

That would have been around the middle of the pack for northern West Virginia, where averages included $3.914 in Parkersburg and $3.77 in Wheeling. The lowest was $3.407 in Martinsburg.

Last week, the average price of gasoline was $3.938 in Parkersburg, $3.894 in Wheeling and $3.468 in Martinsburg.

The national average per kilowatt hour of electricity at a public EV charging station went down one cent this past week to 41 cents.