ACQUISITIONS AND DIVESTITURES (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013 property	Mar. 31, 2013 property	Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Number of production facilities acquired		2
Payment for acquisition of businesses	$ 29,983,000	$ 59,968,000	$ 89,951,000		$ 0
Goodwill recognized in business acquisition			4,698,000	[1]
Amortizable intangible assets	5,542,000
Tax deductible term for intangible assets and goodwill	15 years		15 years
Cash proceeds from divestiture			52,908,000		11,827,000
Property, plant & equipment	6,730,505,000		6,730,505,000		6,697,685,000	6,666,617,000
Goodwill of dispositions			5,195,000	[1]
Withdrawl liability	4,000,000		4,000,000
Number of facilities divested	4
Proceeds from sale of property, plant & equipment			2,517,000		26,069,000
Aggregates
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Goodwill recognized in business acquisition		4,698,000	4,698,000	[1]
Amortizable intangible assets		3,620,000
Cash proceeds from divestiture	34,743,000	5,133,000
Property, plant & equipment		47,884,000
Goodwill of dispositions	4,521,000	674,000	5,195,000	[1]
Gain recognized on divested assets	21,048,000	2,802,000
Aggregates | Previous Appraisal Value [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Goodwill recognized in business acquisition		9,759,000
Amortizable intangible assets		800,000
Property, plant & equipment		45,888,000
Contractual Rights
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Estimated weighted-average amortization period of intangible assets		20 years	50 years
Mitigration Credits [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of property, plant & equipment			13,469,000
Gain recognized on sale of equipment and other personal property			12,342,000
Real Estate
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of property, plant & equipment			9,691,000
Gain recognized on sale of equipment and other personal property			5,979,000
Concrete
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Number of production facilities acquired	4
Number of facilities divested		2
Proceeds from sale of property, plant & equipment		622,000
Gain recognized on sale of equipment and other personal property		$ 457,000

[1] The goodwill of acquired/divested businesses relates to the 2013 acquisitions/divestitures discussed in Note 16.