On April 1, 1980, ownership and maintenance of NY 194 was transferred from the state of New York to Lewis County as part of a highway maintenance swap between the two levels of government.

NY 194 continued to the northeast, entering the Pinckney State Reforestation Area.

At this point NY 194 was edging ever closer to Copenhagen, the largest municipality along the highway.

[8][9] On April 1, 1980, ownership and maintenance of NY 194 was transferred from the state of New York to Lewis County as part of a highway maintenance swap between the two levels of government.

It was the only highway transferred to the county as part of the swap, which involved taking over county-maintained sections of NY 812 from Croghan to Remington's Corners.