Where to Buy Cheap Gas in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Buying cheap gas in Philadelphia relates to playing the odds. Crude oil prices and local taxes make up the majority of costs at the pump. Smart consumers must recognize that crude oil is a highly competitive, free-market commodity, and regional prices of Black Gold will barely fluctuate per geography.

Hence, the prevailing spreads per Philadelphia area gas prices arrive part and parcel with the conflicting tax regimes of the City of Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Trenton, and Dover.

Essentially, the separate tax policies of these neighboring jurisdictions remains the key variable in terms of procuring cheap gas.

The State of New Jersey boasts the most favorable tax policy of all Northeast municipalities, with state and federal excise duties registering at 32.9 cents per gallon. Per the Philadelphia metropolitan area, Delaware follows with a 41.4-cent estimated rate.

Of course, the Keystone State, and specifically Philadelphia County feature the highest tax rates of the Atlantic Coast outside of New York City. Pennsylvania levies 50.7 cents per gallon at the pump. Additionally, Philadelphians are responsible for 7% sales tax charges, which trump greater Pennsylvania levels by 1%.

Logically, the cheap gas playbook begins with New Jersey and ends at Philadelphia as the final option.

The City of Brotherly Love must not despair. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware house the greatest concentration of oil refineries on the East Coast. The two largest are the Bayway facility at Linden, NJ and the Sunoco complex at Philadelphia, which process 573,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

Port of Philadelphia, Wilmington, Baltimore, and New York access to North Sea and Middle East crude oil, along with the sheer refining capacity of the area will effectively check prices. Philadelphians are paying $2.697 for regular unleaded, which undersells neighboring New York City at $2.714.

Philadelphia prices compare favorably to the U.S. Department of Energy regular grade $2.691 price point as of June 22, 2009.

Locals also arrive with the advantage of crossing the Delaware per minimal tolling to access cheap New Jersey gas. Contrarily, New Yorkers will pay $8-$19 tolls at Hudson River or Kills / Narrows connections back into the five boroughs that effectively destroy any Garden State gasoline savings.

This guide will proceed to assist Southeast Pennsylvania drivers to play the percentages in terms of buying cheap gas. We will examine the two opposite ends of the proposal. I will first present the most expensive areas and service stations at Philadelphia, before completing this article by listing viable solutions per locating cheap gas.

"Viability" intimates the fact that flooring the gas pedal to Vineland, NJ in order to save 40 cents per gallon of 87-octane would represent pure foolishness.

Where Not to Buy Cheap Gas in Philadelphia

Interestingly, the most expensive gas at Philadelphia is sold along the outskirts of town. The infamous I-476/ Blue Route from PA 3 / Westchester Pike north to the Pennsylvania Turnpike / Schuylkill exits at Conshohocken and Plymouth Meeting is a death trap for expensive gas.

The Blue Route is the only limited access highway connecting I-95 to the Philadelphia suburbs and barrels through the wealthy Main Line enclaves at the U.S. 30 / Lancaster Avenue interchange. These exclusive communities do not enjoy easy access to cheap New Jersey or Delaware gas and represent an island of outrageous costs per Philadelphia standards.

The Gulph Mills Sunoco at 1308 Gulph Road, Conshohocken, is flashing $2.86, while the Conshohocken Lukeoil at 607 Ridge Pike is peddling regular unleaded for an egregious $2.88. The Springfield BP at 705 S. Sproul Road tops all comers at $2.89.

Although expensive energy prices at the pump may not affect the upper crust, working class citizenry that navigate the I-476 corridor will be desperate for relief.

Prices fall the further that one shifts away from the Blue Route, particularly to the south and east of the PA 3 exits. Obviously, "cheap gas" is a relative term and lower prices will emerge at both King of Prussia and PA 3 / West Chester Pike towards Philadelphia.

West Chester Pike gasoline retails for $2.67 at U.S. 1 / Township Line Road into Upper Darby. Philadelphia veterans will recognize Upper Darby as a grittier, working class section of Delaware County bordering West Philadelphia.

Where to Buy Cheap Gas in Philadelphia

New Jersey gas runs 20-35 cents cheaper than prevailing Pennsylvania rates. This relationship translates into savings of $5.25 per 15-gallon fill up. Still, we must compare these savings per tolled Delaware River crossings.

The Delaware River Port Authority of Pennsylvania and New Jersey is collecting $4 one-way tolls into Pennsylvania at the Commodore Barry, Walt Whitman, Ben Franklin, and Betsy Ross bridges. The Burlington County bridge commission also collects a $2 fee for spanning the Tacony-Palmyra and Burlington - Bristol.

Essentially, crossing the Delaware at downtown and South Philadelphia is a break-even proposal, at best. Forging the Northeast Philly - New Jersey connection in order to save $2-$3 net per fill up is largely the judgment call of the driver. This net estimate accounts for bridge tolling, automobile wear and tear, and the PA / NJ spread amidst gas prices at the area.

New Jersey residents and Pennsylvania commuters into the Garden State must never purchase Philadelphia gasoline. Cheap, $2.39 gas is the order of the day at both U.S. 130 / Crescent Boulevard and NJ 70 / Marlton Pike. The most expensive gas per South Jersey standards is posted at the I-295 and NJ Turnpike exits. $2.59 is the prevailing figure at these critical interchanges.

Still, $2.59 dominates all Southeast Pennsylvania service stations.

Philadelphians that choose to remain west of the Delaware will navigate to Lower Northeast Philadelphia for cheap gas. The residential area is bisected by the I-95 / Delaware Expressway, U.S. 13 Frankford Avenue, and U.S. 1 / Roosevelt Boulevard.

The price of gas falls sharply as motorists transition away from The Boulevard. The Sunoco at 7937 Bustleton Avenue moves gas for $2.65 and the 7001 Castor Avenue Citgo undercuts the competition further, at $2.61.

Near Northeast Philadelphia from the Tacony Creek into Pennypack Park is the ultimate cheap gas zone for the City of Brotherly Love. Of course, South Philadelphia and Lower Delaware County residents may balk at the recommendation. High tailing across town strictly to save gas money pennies is rarely equitable to the madness.

Drivers along industrial sections of Delco at I-95 adjacent to the Delaware border should consider crossing state lines into the First State for cheap gas. The State of Delaware offers affordable fuel at DE 261 / Foulk Road in Wilmington.

Exxon is pricing regular unleaded for $2.51 at 1801 Foulk Road.

Happy Trails.

Where to Buy Cheap Gas in Philadelphia, Sources:

City of Philadelphia, http://www.phila.gov/

Philadelphia Gas Prices, http://www.phillygasprices.com/

New Jersey Gas Prices, http://www.newjerseygasprices.com/