Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2008
Total Revenues
Net sales	$ 578,189,000	$ 714,947,000	$ 657,457,000	$ 456,316,000	$ 548,832,000	$ 699,792,000	$ 692,758,000	$ 464,534,000	$ 2,406,909,000	$ 2,405,916,000	$ 2,543,707,000
Delivery revenues									157,641,000	152,946,000	146,783,000
Total revenues	614,627,000	760,752,000	701,971,000	487,200,000	586,242,000	743,204,000	736,152,000	493,264,000	2,564,550,000	2,558,862,000	2,690,490,000
Gross Profit
Gross profit	74,355,000	115,780,000	100,840,000	(7,106,000)	50,750,000	126,747,000	122,335,000	894,000	283,869,000	300,726,000	445,962,000
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization									361,719,000	382,093,000	394,612,000
Capital Expenditures
Capital Expenditures									97,900,000	79,400,000	106,500,000
Identifiable Assets
General corporate assets	122,700,000				177,800,000				122,700,000	177,800,000	177,100,000
Cash items	155,839,000				47,541,000				155,839,000	47,541,000	22,265,000	10,194,000
Total assets	8,229,314,000				8,339,536,000				8,229,314,000	8,339,536,000	8,526,500,000
Aggregates [Member]
Total Revenues
Segment revenues									1,734,000,000	1,766,900,000	1,838,600,000
Intersegment sales									(142,600,000)	(154,100,000)	(165,200,000)
Net sales									1,591,400,000	1,612,800,000	1,673,400,000
Gross Profit
Gross profit									306,200,000	320,200,000	393,300,000
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization									277,800,000	293,000,000	312,200,000
Capital Expenditures
Capital Expenditures									67,600,000	60,600,000	74,600,000
Identifiable Assets
Total assets	6,837,000,000				6,984,500,000				6,837,000,000	6,984,500,000	7,210,700,000
Concrete [Member]
Total Revenues
Segment revenues									374,700,000	383,200,000	439,400,000
Intersegment sales									0	0	(100,000)
Net sales									374,700,000	383,200,000	439,300,000
Gross Profit
Gross profit									(43,400,000)	(45,000,000)	(14,500,000)
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization									51,500,000	53,600,000	52,600,000
Capital Expenditures
Capital Expenditures									6,300,000	3,700,000	200,000
Identifiable Assets
Total assets	461,100,000				483,200,000				461,100,000	483,200,000	448,900,000
Asphalt Mix [Member]
Total Revenues
Segment revenues									399,000,000	369,900,000	393,700,000
Intersegment sales									0	0	0
Net sales									399,000,000	369,900,000	393,700,000
Gross Profit
Gross profit									25,600,000	29,300,000	69,000,000
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization									8,200,000	8,700,000	8,600,000
Capital Expenditures
Capital Expenditures									16,100,000	4,500,000	5,100,000
Identifiable Assets
Total assets	234,900,000				211,500,000				234,900,000	211,500,000	220,600,000
Cement [Member]
Total Revenues
Segment revenues									71,900,000	80,200,000	72,500,000
Intersegment sales									(30,100,000)	(40,200,000)	(35,200,000)
Net sales									41,800,000	40,000,000	37,300,000
Gross Profit
Gross profit									(4,500,000)	(3,800,000)	(1,800,000)
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization									18,900,000	20,900,000	16,300,000
Capital Expenditures
Capital Expenditures									3,200,000	7,300,000	22,400,000
Identifiable Assets
Total assets	417,800,000				435,000,000				417,800,000	435,000,000	446,900,000
Corporate and other unallocated [Member]
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization									5,300,000	5,900,000	4,900,000
Capital Expenditures
Capital Expenditures									4,700,000	3,300,000	4,200,000
Total identifiable assets [Member]
Identifiable Assets
Total assets	$ 7,950,800,000				$ 8,114,200,000				$ 7,950,800,000	$ 8,114,200,000	$ 8,327,100,000