Retail gasoline prices dipped for a 17th week since July 4, falling below $2 a gallon in a number of states and approaching $1.50 at some service stations. The price of crude fell again too, hitting a 20-month low. The average price Tuesday for a gallon of gas in Tacoma was $2.298.

Light, sweet crude for December delivery fell $3.11 to settle at $59.30 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the lowest closing price since March 2007. Prices had dipped a dollar below that earlier in the day.