It is 7.56 miles (12.17 km) long and runs east–west, entirely within Polk County.

OR 194 was established in 2002 as part of Oregon's project to assign route numbers to highways that previously were not assigned, and, as of July 2018, remains unsigned.

Oddly, the four ODOT bridge inventory signs along the highway list the route number as "US 51," suggesting it may eventually be signed instead as an extension of Oregon Route 51.

OR 194 begins at an intersection with OR 223 approximately five miles south of Dallas.

It heads east to an intersection with OR 99W and OR 51 in Monmouth, where it ends.