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(AP) -- Americans who decide to go away this July Fourth holiday have more free days this year. That's because July Fourth falls on a Wednesday.

AAA says last year, when July Fourth fell on a Monday, 40.3 million people traveled.

This year, AAA projects that 42.3 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home between July 3 and July 8. That's roughly the same amount that traveled in 2007, the last time July Fourth fell on a Wednesday.

AAA's Robert Sinclair Jr. says the drop in the price of gas is also helping travelers who take to the roads. Gas is now an average $3.33 per gallon. That's down from almost $4 in early April.

(Copyright ©2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)