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. The highway serves as a bypass of downtown Milwaukee. With the approximate distance traveled through downtown via I-94 at , I-894 provides a shorter distance for travelers heading to Chicago or the Mitchell International Airport. The Zoo Freeway portion as of 2007 carries at most 170,000 vehicles per day—with the highest values closer to the Zoo Interchange. The Airport Freeway carries up to 134,000 vehicles per day.