National gas prices have declined for 12 days straight, giving most drivers in the United States the lowest July gas prices since 2009.

AAA officials said Tuesday that national prices have declined seven cents in the last month, to a national average price of $2.70 per gallon. It’s the longest consecutive decline since January.

Maine’s current average price is $2.71 per gallon for self-serve regular gas, which is 5 cents lower than one week ago and 95 cents lower than one year ago. Prices in major markets range from $2.60 in Bangor to $2.74 in Portland, AAA reported.

Officials said the steady national decline is in contrast to price fluctuations around the county – high prices in California, low prices in the Midwest – that are the result of local refinery production issues and tight supplies.

In early July, Maine Turnpike Authority officials said the low gas prices were the greatest factor behind a 4.5 percent increase in vehicles to that point over 2014. Traffic on the 113-mile road this year was on pace to surpass the record 76.6 million vehicles set in 2007, officials said earlier this summer.


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