Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012 Segment	Mar. 31, 2011
Total Revenues
Net sales	$ 499,851,000	$ 456,316,000
Delivery revenues	36,031,000	30,884,000
Total revenues	535,882,000	487,200,000
Gross Profit
Gross profit	21,958,000	(7,106,000)
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization	85,167,000	90,586,000
Segment Reporting (Textual)
Number of operating segments	4
Aggregates [Member]
Total Revenues
Segment revenues	355,600,000	331,600,000
Intersegment sales	(31,100,000)	(29,800,000)
Net sales	324,500,000	301,800,000
Gross Profit
Gross profit	34,000,000	10,700,000
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization	64,900,000	70,100,000
Concrete [Member]
Total Revenues
Segment revenues	92,500,000	82,200,000
Intersegment sales	(500,000)	0
Net sales	92,000,000	82,200,000
Gross Profit
Gross profit	(12,300,000)	(14,400,000)
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization	12,100,000	13,000,000
Asphalt Mix [Member]
Total Revenues
Segment revenues	71,400,000	64,700,000
Intersegment sales	0	0
Net sales	71,400,000	64,700,000
Gross Profit
Gross profit	(600,000)	(200,000)
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization	2,400,000	2,000,000
Cement [Member]
Total Revenues
Segment revenues	20,500,000	16,500,000
Intersegment sales	(8,500,000)	(8,900,000)
Net sales	12,000,000	7,600,000
Gross Profit
Gross profit	900,000	(3,200,000)
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization	4,400,000	4,300,000
Corporate and other unallocated [Member]
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization	$ 1,400,000	$ 1,200,000