This highway has been designated as the Purple Heart Highway but is most frequently referred to as Lake Road. The Seaway Trail runs along PA 5 for most of its course in Pennsylvania.
PA 5 begins as Lake Road heading towards the northeast paralleling Lake Erie through western Erie County. In the village of North Springfield, PA 5 intersects the northern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 215. As PA 5 enters Lake City, PA 5 is only 2,000 feet (610 m) south of Lake Erie. Then, PA 5 intersects the northern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 18, a road that crosses the entire state of Pennsylvania.
At Frontier Park, PA 5 Alternate turns ninety degrees north and bends its way around the park, becoming West 6th Street after crossing over the Bayfront Parkway. PA 5 Alternate passes around Gridley Park at Liberty Street and Perry Square at State Street. Between the two parks is a stretch of prominent homes known as Millionaires Row. PA 5 Alternate proceeds east to its terminus at Franklin Avenue, which marks the city limits and the resumption of PA 5.
In the city of Erie, PA 5 interchanges the northern terminus of Interstate 79 at exit 183 and the western terminus of Pennsylvania Route 290. PA 290 begins concurrent with PA 5. PA 5 and PA 290 head towards the east into downtown Erie as 12th Street. As PA 5 goes through Erie, the Seaway Trail takes many turns around the city. In downtown Erie, PA 290 ends the concurrency with PA 5 when PA 290 heads towards the southeast as Bayfront Parkway.
Then, PA 5 makes a ninety-degree angle turn towards the north to become Franklin Avenue, then another ninety-degree turn towards the east to become Lake Road and meets the eastern terminus of PA 5 Alternate; the Seaway Trail now runs along PA 5 east of here.
PA 5 continues towards the east paralleling Lake Erie, which can be seen from PA 5. In North East, PA 5 meets the northern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 89. PA 5 along with Seaway Trail continue towards the northeast as Lake Road. At the New York state line, PA 5 terminates (ends) and continues along with the Seaway Trail as New York State Route 5, ending in Albany.
Pennsylvania Route 5 Alternate is a 9-mile-long (14 km) alternate route that is located in Erie County in Pennsylvania. In 1955, the designations of mainline and alternate Routes 5 were switched. The route begins in suburban Millcreek Township, where its parent route passes near Erie International Airport.
It then passes through a heavily suburbanized and residential two-lane sector, before serving as portions of 8th and 6th Streets in Erie city. Passing relatively close to the lake, it travels through several picturesque tree-lined streets of large homes, skirting the city center and industrial areas. Near its eastern end, it is four lanes and divided, with a parkway-like setting formed by the tree-lined median.
Almost immediately after entering the suburb of Lawrence Park Township, the route ends at its parent.
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