WIS 241 runs north–south in southeast Wisconsin from the town of Raymond into Milwaukee, mostly along a previous routing of US Highway 41 (US 41), for which it is named.

The former US 41 routing north of the Milwaukee–Racine county line is locally known as 27th Street.

WIS 241 was created in 1999 when state highway officials decided to reroute US 41 off South 27th Street in Milwaukee.

The change was done because residents on the section north of West Forest Home Avenue objected to a proposed widening project.

Until a reconstruction in 2018, the southern terminus of the highway was through a direct merger via north-south ramps with I-94 at the county line.