Big Penny Bridge Vandalized in Lansing

Lansing residents, I have some devastating news for you—someone has destroyed Big Penny.

What Is Big Penny and Why Lansing Loves Her

If you live in Lansing and don't know who/what Big Penny is, you must live under a rock in Lansing, because Big Penny is a local legend and landmark. She's the too-tall, truck-munching bridge that resides on South Pennsylvania Avenue and takes a chomp out of any vehicle over 12-feet tall that dares to pass.

This low clearance bridge on Pennsylvania Avenue in Lansing, Michigan, affectionately known locally as "Big Penny", has sheared the tops off dozens of vehicles over the years. (Photo via JR, Townsquare Media Lansing)

In recent years, the bridge has literally taken on a life of its own with eyes, teeth, and a social media presence. And weirdly, she holds a special place in all our hearts.

Well, apparently not everyone because someone completely destroyed Big Penny.

What Happened to Big Penny?

It appears that someone intentionally removed the eyes and teeth on the north and south sides of the bridge. STUPID - Lansing (the society that follows all things Big Penny) made the announcement on Facebook the evening of Monday, April 20. You can see the extent of the damage HERE.

There's not a lot of information surrounding who committed this terrible crime, but here's what STUPID - Lansing does know:

Big Penny's eyes and teeth on the North and Southbound sides were destroyed [April 20] between 4:30pm - 8pm.
We are fairly confident that this was an intentional act. There was a masked individual hiding in the bushes Sunday when we replaced the tooth that was recently stolen, and they popped out of the bushes again yesterday when we went to check on her.

Based on thousands of reactions and hundreds of comments and shares, it's clear that Lansing's heart is breaking over this loss.

READ ALSO: Lansing’s Beloved Big Penny Just Got a PBS Shoutout

Hopefully Big Penny can get back to feeling like her usual self again, and this person decides to spend their time doing more productive things. If they're so concerned with the way Pennsylvania Avenue looks, maybe they should spend that time cleaning trash instead?

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