Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012 Segment	Jun. 30, 2011
Total Revenues
Net sales	$ 648,890,000	$ 657,457,000	$ 1,148,741,000	$ 1,113,773,000
Delivery revenues	45,246,000	44,514,000	81,277,000	75,398,000
Total revenues	694,136,000	701,971,000	1,230,018,000	1,189,171,000
Gross Profit
Gross profit	105,939,000	100,840,000	127,897,000	93,734,000
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization	84,116,000	92,137,000	169,283,000	182,723,000
Segment Reporting (Textual)
Number of operating segments			4
Aggregates [Member]
Total Revenues
Segment revenues	471,100,000	478,400,000	826,800,000	810,100,000
Intersegment sales	(39,200,000)	(39,500,000)	(70,400,000)	(69,300,000)
Net sales	431,900,000	438,900,000	756,400,000	740,800,000
Gross Profit
Gross profit	111,800,000	102,800,000	145,900,000	113,600,000
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization	64,600,000	71,100,000	129,500,000	141,200,000
Concrete [Member]
Total Revenues
Segment revenues	103,000,000	98,200,000	195,500,000	180,400,000
Intersegment sales	(400,000)	0	(900,000)	0
Net sales	102,600,000	98,200,000	194,600,000	180,400,000
Gross Profit
Gross profit	(9,000,000)	(9,000,000)	(21,300,000)	(23,400,000)
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization	11,400,000	13,200,000	23,500,000	26,200,000
Asphalt Mix [Member]
Total Revenues
Segment revenues	103,700,000	110,900,000	175,000,000	175,500,000
Intersegment sales	0	0	0	0
Net sales	103,700,000	110,900,000	175,000,000	175,500,000
Gross Profit
Gross profit	5,100,000	8,300,000	4,500,000	8,100,000
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization	2,400,000	2,000,000	4,800,000	3,900,000
Cement [Member]
Total Revenues
Segment revenues	20,300,000	16,800,000	40,800,000	33,400,000
Intersegment sales	(9,600,000)	(7,300,000)	(18,100,000)	(16,300,000)
Net sales	10,700,000	9,500,000	22,700,000	17,100,000
Gross Profit
Gross profit	(2,000,000)	(1,300,000)	(1,200,000)	(4,600,000)
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization	4,100,000	4,700,000	8,600,000	9,100,000
Corporate and other unallocated [Member]
Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion and Amortization
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization	$ 1,600,000	$ 1,100,000	$ 2,900,000	$ 2,300,000