 During the 1950s, the route was paved between PA 507 in Angels and south of Sterling while the section between the Monroe/Wayne county line and PA 507 in Angels was improved.The southern terminus of PA 196 was cut back to US 611/PA 940 in Mount Pocono in the 1960s, with the former route south of there becoming a rerouted PA 940 between Mount Pocono and Paradise Valley, solely PA 191 (which replaced PA 90) between Paradise Valley and Analomink, and PA 447 between Analomink and East Stroudsburg, and the southernmost section to I-80 becoming a rerouted US 209.The section of PA 196 between the border of Monroe and Wayne counties and PA 507 in Angels was paved in the 1970s.