Hundreds of support beams that held up the temporary bridge carrying Interstate 5 traffic over the Willamette River from 2004 to last year are finding new life in other public works projects around the state.

The state Department of Transportation dismantled the temporary bridge last year after the new permanent span opened immediately to the west. The state salvaged about 320 of the huge concrete and steel beams, and most have now been used in or reserved for other bridges or similar work, the agency said.

The beams are colossal.

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