Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011 facility segment	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011 complaint arbitration party segment	Sep. 30, 2010
Total Revenues
Net sales	$ 714,947,000	$ 699,792,000	$ 1,828,720,000	$ 1,857,085,000
Delivery revenues	45,805,000	43,412,000	121,203,000	115,534,000
Total revenues	760,752,000	743,204,000	1,949,923,000	1,972,619,000
Gross Profit
Gross profit	115,780,000	126,747,000	209,514,000	249,976,000
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization	90,948,000	97,697,000	273,671,000	289,174,000
Segment Reporting (Textuals)
Number of operating segments	4		4
Aggregates [Member]
Total Revenues
Segment revenues	514,700,000	514,300,000	1,324,800,000	1,369,500,000
Intersegment sales	(42,400,000)	(44,800,000)	(111,800,000)	(119,200,000)
Net sales	472,300,000	469,500,000	1,213,000,000	1,250,300,000
Gross Profit
Gross profit	113,400,000	125,200,000	227,000,000	262,500,000
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization	70,300,000	74,500,000	211,500,000	222,600,000
Concrete [Member]
Total Revenues
Segment revenues	101,400,000	105,100,000	281,800,000	293,000,000
Intersegment sales	0	0	0	0
Net sales	101,400,000	105,100,000	281,800,000	293,000,000
Gross Profit
Gross profit	(8,900,000)	(10,100,000)	(32,300,000)	(31,700,000)
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization	13,100,000	13,600,000	39,300,000	40,100,000
Asphalt Mix [Member]
Total Revenues
Segment revenues	128,900,000	115,800,000	304,400,000	282,300,000
Intersegment sales	0	0	0	0
Net sales	128,900,000	115,800,000	304,400,000	282,300,000
Gross Profit
Gross profit	12,300,000	13,400,000	20,400,000	21,800,000
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization	1,900,000	2,200,000	5,900,000	6,700,000
Cement [Member]
Total Revenues
Segment revenues	19,100,000	20,300,000	52,500,000	61,200,000
Intersegment sales	(6,700,000)	(10,900,000)	(23,000,000)	(29,700,000)
Net sales	12,400,000	9,400,000	29,500,000	31,500,000
Gross Profit
Gross profit	(1,000,000)	(1,800,000)	(5,600,000)	(2,600,000)
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization	4,500,000	5,800,000	13,600,000	15,300,000
Corporate and other unallocated [Member]
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization	$ 1,100,000	$ 1,600,000	$ 3,400,000	$ 4,500,000

The aggregate expense recognized in the current period that allocates the cost of tangible assets, intangible assets, or depleting assets to periods that benefit from use of the assets.

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