The highway heads slightly to the northwest, and reaches the northern terminus at the interchange with U.S. Route 22 (US 22) and US 30 in the Imperial-Enlow area.

Shortly after this, PA 978 curves northeast paralleling the railroad and Millers Run.

At a fork with McKee Road north of Oakdale, PA 978 keeps left, while the Orange Belt keeps right toward the Pittsburgh Technical College.

The growth of Pittsburgh International Airport partly led to PA 978 being realigned, and the old road later being closed to traffic, especially after the construction of the Midfield Temrinal in the 1990s.

Old PA 978 begins at the Steubenville Pike south of the Robinson Town Centre just outside Imperial, and soon passes over the Montour Trail and merge with Cliff Mine Road.