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| Wisconsin Highway 38 | |
|---|---|
| State | WI |
| Type | WI |
| Route | 38 |
| Length mi | 23.36 |
| Established | 1918 |
| Direction a | South |
| Terminus a | Kenosha |
| Direction b | North |
| Terminus b | Milwaukee |
| Counties | Kenosha County, Milwaukee County |
Wisconsin Highway 38 is a state trunk highway running north–south between Kenosha and Milwaukee through Pleasant Prairie, Somers, Mount Pleasant, Racine County and Oak Creek. The route serves as a connector between Lake Michigan lakeshore communities and inland suburbs, linking with regional corridors and providing access to industrial, commercial, and residential districts within southeastern Wisconsin.
The highway begins in central Kenosha near Lake Michigan and the HarborPark waterfront, proceeding north through urban corridors adjacent to U.S. 41, I-94, and the Interstate 294. It crosses municipal boundaries into Pleasant Prairie and passes near the Chiwaukee Prairie and Pike River, intersecting with state and county routes that connect to Racine and Burlington. Continuing north, the route traverses the industrial and retail zones of Mount Pleasant and skims the Racine County Fairgrounds before entering Milwaukee County at Oak Creek. Within Oak Creek, it provides access to the General Mitchell International Airport via nearby arterial streets and links to the Milwaukee County Transit System. Approaching Milwaukee, the highway terminates near neighborhood corridors that connect to HUBERs Corner and commercial districts south of downtown, integrating with local meshes of Wisconsin Highway 32 and municipal streets.
The roadway originated as an early 20th-century state trunk line designated during the 1918 statewide establishment of numbered highways that included corridors radiating from Madison and Green Bay. Early alignments paralleled regional railroads such as the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad and Chicago and North Western Transportation Company, reflecting the era’s linkage between roadway and rail freight corridors. Mid-20th-century improvements coincided with postwar suburban growth tied to industrial employers like J.I. Case and Kenosha Engine Plant, and retail expansions akin to later developments seen at Mayfair Mall and Southridge Mall. Federal programs such as the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 affected nearby freeway construction (notably I-94) and shaped the highway’s role as a local arterial rather than an interstate. In subsequent decades, municipal redevelopment initiatives in Kenosha and Milwaukee altered corridor land use, with transit planning influenced by agencies including the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and regional planning bodies like the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission.
The route intersects multiple state, U.S., and interstate routes as it connects suburban and urban nodes: - Southern terminus at municipal streets near Downtown Kenosha, providing proximity to HarborPark and connections toward Illinois via U.S. 41 and local arterials serving Great Lakes Naval Station access points. - Junctions with county highways providing access to Racine and Burlington. - Crossings near I-94 and interchange access to I-43 corridors serving Milwaukee County freight and commuter traffic. - Northern terminus interfacing with urban streets that lead to General Mitchell International Airport, Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport services, and local connectors to Wisconsin Highway 32 and municipal thoroughfares into Milwaukee neighborhoods.
Traffic patterns on the highway reflect commuting flows between Kenosha and Milwaukee, commuter rail stations on services like Metra (near the Illinois border) and Amtrak (in Milwaukee), and truck movements serving industrial sites tied to companies such as InSinkErator and regional distribution centers for chains like Walmart and Target Corporation. Peak-period volumes correspond with employment centers in Oak Creek and Mount Pleasant, while seasonal increases occur with lakefront recreation accessing Lake Michigan beaches and parks. Operational oversight involves the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and county highway departments, with safety initiatives coordinated alongside National Highway Traffic Safety Administration guidance and regional transit coordination with the Milwaukee County Transit System and Racine County Transit District.
Planned improvements have been considered by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission to address capacity, safety, and multimodal access, including intersection modernizations, pedestrian and bicycle accommodations linking to trails like the Oak Leaf Trail, and pavement rehabilitation funded through state transportation programs and potential federal discretionary grants. Local municipalities such as Kenosha and Oak Creek continue zoning and redevelopment efforts that may prompt corridor redesigns, with environmental review processes involving the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for any projects affecting wetlands near the Chiwaukee Prairie and Lake Michigan shoreline.
Category:Transportation in Kenosha County, Wisconsin Category:Transportation in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin