( CNN ) -- Jim Grant was driving home in Carlsbad , California , when he came to a fork in the road . No , an actual fork . The oversized kitchen utensil was 6 feet high , made of wood , painted silver and mounted in the concrete island at the intersection of Levante Street and Anillo Way in south Carlsbad . Grant , a local photographer and a contributor to CNN iReport , knew he had to pull over . `` I actually laughed out loud in my truck and just knew I had to get some shots of this urban art before some city employee takes it down or it is vandalized , '' he said . He shot some photos Tuesday afternoon , posted them on CNN iReport and left a Post-it note on the sculpture in hopes of finding the artist . The literal fork in the road was short-lived . A city crew pulled it out of the concrete Wednesday morning , saying in a statement that `` although the fork in the road remains , the literal fork was removed this morning . We appreciate the creativity , but it 's not legal or safe to put objects like this on public streets or medians . '' CNN affiliate KFMB filmed the fork being taken away . Grant and other local residents , including the creator himself , are holding out hope that city officials will change their mind and return the quirky spectacle . Carlsbad Communications Manager Kristina Ray told CNN , `` If the artist would like to propose to donate this art to the city , we do have a process through our Cultural Arts Office to consider it . He or she could get in touch with us to learn more about this process . '' Before the fork was ripped out , Grant 's Post-it note made its way to the artist , who explained he was a retired teacher who wanted to remain anonymous for fear of getting fined or sued by the city . The 62-year-old retired math and physics teacher said he has wanted to make a fork for that island ever since he saw `` The Muppet Movie '' in 1979 , in which Kermit tells Fozzie Bear , on their way to Hollywood , to bear left if he comes to a fork in the road . A moment later , a giant upside-down fork appears in the road . That was more than 30 years ago , but he never had the time to work on the project until he retired in June . He spent the summer on it , laminating pieces of wood together until they resembled the kitchen utensil . He bought a can of chrome paint and sprayed the fork until the can was empty . His brother , a middle-school wood shop teacher in El Cajon , helped him smooth out the edges . `` I 'm not an artist . I have no talent , but I 'm not afraid to try , and I 'm quite surprised that the fork came out as good as it did , '' he said . With his 32-year-old son 's help , they mounted it in the street on Tuesday morning . Knowing the city might object , they tried to stay discreet . He said they put on orange construction vests and cloaked the prongs in a black garbage bag while they installed it on the island . `` We tried to look official , did n't make eye contract with anybody driving by . ... It just looked like two construction workers putting up a sign post . And then when all the signs were gone , I removed the trash bag , and then people started taking pictures , '' he said . He and his son got a few pictures and were surprised it created such a commotion when it was taken down . Several news stations reported that neighbors wanted it put back . `` I just thought a couple people would drive by and smile and keep on driving . I did n't think anything more was going to happen , '' he said . `` I ca n't afford to pay any fines , and I do n't want to get in trouble . It was just something I thought the folks in my neighborhood would appreciate , and apparently they did . '' Ray said the placement of the fork would be considered a code violation . `` We normally impose a fine only if there is a repeated problem and requests for voluntary compliance do n't work . '' Wednesday , soon after the fork was removed , a neighbor put up a sign that said `` Why the fork not ? '' Grant shot a photo of that too and posted it on iReport . `` Thank you for the laughs we all had looking at the Fork , '' Grant told the artist . `` Hopefully , the city changes its mind and lets the Fork return , even for a week or so . '' Update : Jim Grant reports Thursday night that the `` Why the fork not ? '' sign is gone , but people have been taping normal-sized forks to a nearby road sign . Meanwhile , readers in the comments below tell us about a giant fork with a happy ending in another part of California . In a similar guerilla art prank , an artist erected an 18-foot tall , 500-pound fork in the road in a Pasadena median in 2009 . The city ordered it removed after 7 months ( which required a forklift ) , but in 2011 , it was properly permitted and permanently installed .
A retired teacher put a giant fork in the road . The City of Carlsbad removed it the next day . Neighbors want it put back . CNN first heard about this story through photos shared on iReport .