Segment Financial Disclosure (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2009
Total Revenues
Net sales	$ 574,886,000		$ 687,616,000	$ 648,890,000	$ 499,851,000	$ 578,189,000		$ 714,947,000	$ 657,457,000	$ 456,316,000	$ 2,411,243,000		$ 2,406,909,000		$ 2,405,916,000
Delivery revenues											156,067,000		157,641,000		152,946,000
Total revenues	608,431,000		728,861,000	694,136,000	535,882,000	614,627,000		760,752,000	701,971,000	487,200,000	2,567,310,000		2,564,550,000		2,558,862,000
Gross profit	79,206,000		126,923,000	105,939,000	21,958,000	74,355,000		115,780,000	100,840,000	(7,106,000)	334,026,000		283,869,000		300,726,000
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization											331,959,000	[1]	361,719,000	[1]	382,093,000	[1]
Capital Expenditures											95,800,000		97,900,000		79,400,000
Cash items	275,478,000					155,839,000					275,478,000		155,839,000		47,541,000		22,265,000
Total assets	8,126,599,000					8,229,314,000					8,126,599,000		8,229,314,000		8,339,500,000
Aggregates
Total Revenues
Net sales											1,729,400,000		1,734,000,000		1,766,900,000
Net sales											(148,200,000)		(142,600,000)		(154,100,000)
Net sales											1,581,200,000		1,591,400,000		1,612,800,000
Gross profit											352,100,000		306,200,000		320,200,000
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization											240,700,000	[1]	267,000,000	[1]	288,600,000	[1]
Capital Expenditures											77,000,000		67,600,000		60,600,000
Identifiable Assets	6,717,300,000	[2]				6,837,000,000	[2]				6,717,300,000	[2]	6,837,000,000	[2]	6,984,500,000	[2]
Concrete
Total Revenues
Net sales											406,400,000		374,700,000		383,200,000
Net sales											406,400,000		374,700,000		383,200,000
Gross profit											(38,200,000)		(43,400,000)		(45,000,000)
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization											41,300,000	[1]	47,700,000	[1]	50,500,000	[1]
Capital Expenditures											9,200,000		6,300,000		3,700,000
Identifiable Assets	412,300,000	[2]				461,100,000	[2]				412,300,000	[2]	461,100,000	[2]	483,200,000	[2]
Asphalt Mix
Total Revenues
Net sales											378,100,000		399,000,000		369,900,000
Net sales											378,100,000		399,000,000		369,900,000
Gross profit											22,900,000		25,600,000		29,300,000
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization											8,700,000	[1]	7,700,000	[1]	8,400,000	[1]
Capital Expenditures											7,200,000		16,100,000		4,500,000
Identifiable Assets	218,900,000	[2]				234,900,000	[2]				218,900,000	[2]	234,900,000	[2]	211,500,000	[2]
Cement
Total Revenues
Net sales											84,600,000		71,900,000		80,200,000
Net sales											(39,100,000)		(30,100,000)		(40,200,000)
Net sales											45,500,000		41,800,000		40,000,000
Gross profit											(2,800,000)		(4,500,000)		(3,800,000)
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization											18,100,000	[1]	17,800,000	[1]	20,100,000	[1]
Capital Expenditures											1,200,000		3,200,000		7,300,000
Identifiable Assets	398,100,000	[2]				417,800,000	[2]				398,100,000	[2]	417,800,000	[2]	435,000,000	[2]
Corporate and Other Unallocated
Total Revenues
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization											23,200,000	[1]	21,500,000	[1]	14,500,000	[1]
Capital Expenditures											1,200,000		4,700,000		3,300,000
Identifiable Assets	104,500,000	[2]				122,700,000	[2]				104,500,000	[2]	122,700,000	[2]	177,800,000	[2]
Reportable Segment
Total Revenues
Identifiable Assets	$ 7,746,600,000	[2]				$ 7,950,800,000	[2]				$ 7,746,600,000	[2]	$ 7,950,800,000	[2]	$ 8,114,200,000	[2]

[1] The allocation of indirect depreciation to our operating segments was changed in 2012 to better align the presentation with how management views information internally. The 2011 and 2010 DDA&A amounts presented above have been revised to conform to the 2012 presentation.

[2] Certain temporarily idled assets are included within a segment's Identifiable Assets but the associated DDA&A is shown within Other in the DDA&A section above since the related DDA&A is excluded from segment gross profit.