Nothing quite says "freedom" to an American like an automobile, the open road and cheap gasoline.

With plenty of the above available this weekend, the American Automobile Association expects a near-record number of U.S. residents - some 31.6 million of them - to exercise that freedom in celebration of Independence Day.Utahns could be leading the pack, taking advantage of the long-awaited arrival of decent weather and some of the lowest gasoline prices in the Western United States.

The average price for a gallon of unleaded regular in the Salt Lake Valley is about 17 cents less today than it was during the 1997 July Fourth weekend, according to the Utah Office of Energy and Resource Planning.

"If anything, more people will travel because of that," said Thomas Brill, an economist for the energy office.

Brill projects local prices this weekend to average about $1.09 a gallon for unleaded regular. A year ago, with the Independence Day weekend following a five-cent increase in the state per-gallon gas tax on July 1, prices in Salt Lake County averaged $1.26.

The AAA, which conducts a statewide survey of 400 gas stations, reported Utahns are paying an average of $1.16 a gallon for unleaded at self-serve pumps. That's up just one cent compared with early May of this year.

"They expect the biggest holiday traveling weekend since 1987 this weekend, and it's probably because of low gas prices," said AAA spokeswoman Rolayne Fairclough. "It's traditionally a car- or vehicle-travel holiday."

If you still haven't firmed up your weekend travel plans, you might consider a nice long drive to Texas. Unleaded gasoline prices in the Gulf Coast states are averaging less than $1 a gallon, Brill said.

Utah prices are about a nickel higher than the national average, according to the AAA.

The low prices are attributed, in large part, to a worldwide overproduction of oil that pushed crude oil prices to a 12-year low in mid-June. But if you can't get away this weekend, don't fret - analysts say the retail price of gasoline isn't likely to rise anytime soon.

The price of crude, as low as $11 a barrel in June, is now around $14. Given market conditions, Brill said, the price should be between $15 and $18 a barrel. But even if that increase occurs soon, he said, prices at the pump probably wouldn't be affected until late summer.

"There really is no end to that (low prices) in sight," Brill said.

The AAA expects motorists from the Southeast will travel more this weekend than those from any other region. They'll be followed by motorists from the Northeast, West, Great Lakes region and Midwest, according to the AAA survey.

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