The route intersects PA 130 about two miles (3 km) southeast of Pleasant Unity, where it is briefly concurrent with PA 130 as the route heads north and east through the village of Lycippus.[4] The route then passes through the borough of Youngstown, and then meets US 30 at a cloverleaf interchange.
The route runs along the eastern end of the city of Latrobe and through McChesneytown. PA 982 then ends at US 22 and US 119 near the borough of Blairsville. Before the construction of the Conemaugh Dam, PA 982 used to occupy Livermore Road, across from its current terminus, and continued on, crossing the Conemaugh River at Livermore, and connecting with PA 217 a few miles north in Indiana County.
Pennsylvania Route 982 Truck is a truck route that bypasses a weight restricted bridge over Stony Run where trucks over 32 tons (40 for combination loads) are prohibited. The route follows Industrial Boulevard, PA 981 and US 22/119 through Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The route was signed in 2013.