Beam placement during bridge construction by a carriage moving across an abutment or pier, supporting the end of a beam or pipe to position and align it on the abutment. A lift assembly lowers the end and the carriage is disengaged and moved to receive another beam, placing multiple parallel beams, without requiring a large crane. A carriage formed in sections separates to return to a new position. A screw jack or hydraulic unit moves the lift assembly, and deposits the beam on a load plate, and opposed separately-operated lift plates connected by a hinged cross-bar may form a beam-receiving basket assembly. Carriage rollers bear against a channel iron that protects underlying concrete structure from damage. A first set of rollers may bear against a horizontal surface and a second set of rollers bear against a vertical face of the abutment, aligning the carriage and beam along orthogonal axes.