In local traffic reporting and casual conversation, it is known simply as "the bypass" or "894", with "41" also being more recently used, as I-894 is entirely concurrent with I-41/US 41.

The highway heads south as part of the Zoo Freeway from this interchange running concurrently with I-41/US 41/US 45.

It meets WIS 241 (South 27th Street) at exit 9 before terminating at the Mitchell Interchange with I-94, I-43 and US 41; I-43 continues northbound concurrently with I-94.

[5] I-894 passes generally through residential areas for its entire length with the exception of a few commercial districts right next to the freeway such as the Southridge Mall district, along with South 27th Street north to Oklahoma Avenue, which contains multiple car dealerships.

[9] The freeways that exist today are only a part of what the Milwaukee County Expressway Commission had hoped would be built by 1972.

[11]) The Airport Freeway was proposed to be routed to the also-proposed Stadium Freeway South along Howard Avenue which is about 0.75 miles (1.21 km) north of the current alignment and named the Howard Avenue Expressway.

[2] I-43 was signed along the Airport Freeway concurrently with I-894 in 1988 after being officially designated in 1987,[4] while I-41 was added to the route on April 7, 2015.

[12] A remnant of the proposed Stadium Freeway remains connected to I-894 near WIS 36 as an unbuilt interchange.