LOS ANGELES (AP) — To drive, or not to drive? This Memorial Day weekend, with record gas prices that are redefining pain at the pump, that is the question for many Americans as a new COVID-19 surge also spreads across the country.

The average gas price in the U.S. on Thursday was $4.60 per gallon, according to AAA figures. In California, it topped $6. The high price of oil — largely because many buyers are refusing to purchase Russian oil because of its invasion of Ukraine — is the main cause of the steep gasoline prices.

Americans aren’t the only ones weighing their options as the summer travel season begins. Across the European Union’s 27 countries, gasoline has risen 40% from a year ago, to the equivalent of $8.40 a gallon.

Rising prices in the U.S. coincide with a COVID-19 surge that has led to case counts that are as high as they’ve been since mid-February, and those figures are likely a major undercount because of unreported positive home test results and asymptomatic infections.

Still, 2 1/2 years of pandemic life has many people hitting the road or taking to the skies, despite the surge. AAA estimates that 39.2 million people in the U.S. will travel 50 miles or more from home during the holiday weekend.

Those projections — which include travel by car, plane and other modes of transportation like trains or cruise ships — are up 8.3% from 2021 and would bring Memorial Day travel volumes close to 2017 levels. The estimates are still below pre-pandemic 2019 levels, a peak year for travel.

About 88% of those 39.2 million travelers — a record number — are expected to go by car over the long weekend even as gas prices remain high, according to AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross.

Airline tickets prices up are, too — AAA found that the average lowest airfare for this weekend is 6% higher than last year.

The Michigan Department of Transportation said it is suspending work and lifting traffic restrictions wherever possible this holiday weekend to ease congestion and increase safety.

Beginning at 3 p.m. today, and continuing until 6 a.m. Tuesday, 104 out of 165 projects statewide will have lane restrictions removed.

The following work zones in the Upper Peninsula will remain active or have lane restrictions during Memorial Day weekend:

— M-28 in Munising, Alger County, has two lanes open between Commercial Street and Bay View Street with a traffic shift.

— M-64, Ontonagon County, has one lane open in alternating directions over the Floodwood River west of Ontonagon via temporary signals

— M-64, Ontonagon County, has one lane open in alternating directions over the Halfway River west of Ontonagon via temporary signals.

— M-129, Chippewa County, has one lane open in alternating directions over the Munuscong River via temporary signals.

— M-183, Delta County, has one lane open in alternating directions via temporary signals at a culvert crossing 2 miles south of US-2.

— U.S. 2 in Bessemer, Gogebic County, will have the outside westbound lane closed between Clayberg and Mine streets.

— U.S. 41(College Avenue) in Houghton, Houghton County, has a posted detour in place for southbound US-41 traffic.

— U.S. 41 in Marquette will have one southbound lane closed from Blemhuber Avenue and Furnace Street.

— U.S. 41/M-28 carpool lot near Alberta, Baraga County, will be closed.

— U.S. 45 in Ontonagon County, has one lane open in alternating directions over Roselawn Creek via temporary signals River southeast of Ewen.

In Wisconsin’s Iron County, U.S. 2 is reduced to a single lane in each direction, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation said.

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The Daily News contributed to this report.