CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Gas prices across the Clarksville area are beginning to fall after months at a four-year high, according to AAA Tennessee.
Ron Smithfield, a retired business owner in Clarksville, has been closely tracking the decline — and sending photos to document it. "Well from the peak, I saw $4.29 and now it's $3.19. And I've taken pictures and sent them to you several different times," Smithfield said.
Megan Cooper, a spokesperson with AAA Tennessee, says the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East is a key factor driving prices down — though it may take some time before drivers see the full impact at the pump.
"Especially over the last few months, we have seen quite a bit of a roller coaster," Cooper said. "Most of that fluctuation simply depends on when that gasoline was purchased by the station and what they paid for that gasoline."
When asked whether lower prices are here to stay, Cooper was cautious. "It's difficult to say how long these lower prices are going to stick around," Cooper said.
Cooper also warned that if conflict in the Middle East escalates again, prices could spike once more. "Hopefully this downward trend will continue," Cooper said.
Even with the recent drop, AAA says gas in Tennessee is still nearly $1 per gallon more expensive than this time last year.
Smithfield says he hopes prices keep falling — for the sake of anyone watching their budget.
"People in the real world have to deal with the local reality," Smithfield said. "I feel for the young families, especially. I see mothers with two or three children."
Tennessee regional gas price averages (regular unleaded, per gallon)
| Market | Monday | Sunday | Week Ago | Month Ago | One Year Ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee (avg.) | $3.509 | $3.522 | $3.604 | $4.206 | $2.848 |
| Chattanooga | $3.385 | $3.403 | $3.330 | $4.167 | $2.815 |
| Knoxville | $3.476 | $3.485 | $3.599 | $4.230 | $2.847 |
| Memphis | $3.618 | $3.624 | $3.749 | $4.159 | $2.856 |
| Nashville | $3.533 | $3.546 | $3.624 | $4.250 | $2.889 |
Source: AAA. Prices updated daily at GasPrices.AAA.com.
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