The current Red Belt is long and runs through largely rural communities. Going from west to east, it begins at the intersection of PA 65 and Cross Street in Leetsdale (just south of the Allegheny–Beaver County line) and ends at the intersection of PA 366 and East 7th Avenue in Tarentum. The Red Belt briefly enters Beaver County in two places where it crosses to the north bank of Big Sewickley Creek. Unlike other belts in the system, most of which access many state highways, the Red Belt only intersects numbered highways at its endpoints, along with US 19 in Marshall Township, PA 8 in Richland Township, and Interstate 79 just below Butler County. Much of the route is rural. The largest suburban sprawl along the route has occurred between US 19 and PA 8.