PA 402 was designated in 1928 between US 611 north of Delaware Water Gap and US 6 in Palmyra Township. The route at the southern terminus became PA 612 in the 1930s before PA 402 was extended south to US 611 (now PA 611 in Delaware Water Gap in the 1940s, replacing a portion of PA 612. PA 402 was realigned to end at an interchange with Interstate 80 (I-80) and US 611 in Delaware Water Gap by 1961. The southern terminus was cut back to US 209 in Marshalls Creek in the summer of 1962, with most of the former route south of there becoming a realigned US 209.