ACQUISITIONS AND DIVESTITURES (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Feb. 28, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Purchases of property, plant & equipment			$ 275,380,000		$ 93,357,000	$ 98,912,000
Payment for acquisition of businesses			89,951,000		0	10,531,000
Proceeds from sale of property, plant & equipment			17,576,000		80,829,000	13,675,000
Proceeds from sale of businesses, net of transaction costs			51,604,000		21,166,000	74,739,000
Gain on sale of properties and businesses			39,250,000		68,455,000	47,752,000
Common stock issued in connection with business acquisitions	60,855	372,992
Total consideration			0		0	18,529,000
Goodwill of dispositions			5,195,000	[1]
Aggregates [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Goodwill of dispositions			5,195,000	[1]
Concrete [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Goodwill of dispositions			0	[1]
Asphalt Mix [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Goodwill of dispositions			0	[1]
Land containing 136 million tons of aggregates reserves [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Aggregates reserves acquired			136,000,000
Purchases of property, plant & equipment			117,000,000
One aggregates production facility and four ready-mixed concrete facilities [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Payment for acquisition of businesses			29,983,000
One aggregates production facility and four ready-mixed concrete facilities [Member] | Aggregates [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Number of facilities acquired			1
One aggregates production facility and four ready-mixed concrete facilities [Member] | Concrete [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Number of facilities acquired			4
One aggregates production facility and four ready-mixed concrete facilities [Member] | Contractual Rights
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Amortizable intangible assets recognized			5,425,000
Intangible assets amortization period, tax purposes			15 years
Two aggregates production facilities [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Payment for acquisition of businesses			59,968,000
Amortizable intangible assets recognized			3,620,000
Intangible assets amortization period, tax purposes			15 years
Two aggregates production facilities [Member] | Aggregates [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Number of facilities acquired			2
Mitigation credits [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of property, plant & equipment			1,463,000
Gain on sale of properties and businesses			1,377,000
Reclaimed land associated with a former site of a ready-mixed concrete facility [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of property, plant & equipment			11,261,000
Gain on sale of properties and businesses			9,027,000
A percentage of the future production from aggregates reserves at certain owned quarries [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Gross proceeds from sale of future production			154,000,000
Transaction costs			905,000
Four aggregates production facilities [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of businesses, net of transaction costs			34,743,000
Gain on sale of production facilities			21,183,000
Goodwill of dispositions			4,521,000
Withdrawl liability			4,000,000
Four aggregates production facilities [Member] | Aggregates [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Number of facilities divested			4
One aggregates production facility and its related replacement reserve land [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of businesses, net of transaction costs			5,133,000
Gain on sale of production facilities			2,802,000
Goodwill of dispositions			674,000
One aggregates production facility and its related replacement reserve land [Member] | Aggregates [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Number of facilities divested			1
Equipment and other personal property from two idled prestress concrete production facilities [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of property, plant & equipment			622,000
Gain on sale of properties and businesses			457,000
Number of facilities divested			2
Two tracts of land [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of property, plant & equipment					57,690,000
Gain on sale of properties and businesses					41,155,000
Number of tracts of Land Sold					2
Area of land sold					148
An aggregates production facility [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of businesses, net of transaction costs					10,476,000
Area of land sold					197
An aggregates production facility [Member] | Aggregates [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Number of facilities divested					1
A percentage of the future production from aggregates reserves at certain owned and leased quarries [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Gross proceeds from sale of future production					75,200,000
Transaction costs					1,617,000
Mitigation Credits [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of property, plant & equipment					13,469,000
Gain on sale of properties and businesses					12,342,000
Real estate [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of property, plant & equipment					9,691,000
Gain on sale of properties and businesses					5,979,000
Three aggregates facilities and one distribution yard [member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Total consideration for acquired assets included in fair value of acquired assets						35,406,000
Cash paid						10,000,000
Number of distribution yard acquired						1
Three aggregates facilities and one distribution yard [member] | Aggregates [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Number of facilities acquired						3
Two aggregates facilities, one asphalt mix facility, two ready-mixed concrete facilities, one recycling operation and undeveloped real property [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Gain on sale of properties and businesses						587,000
Transaction costs						531,000
Number of recycling operation divested						1
Two aggregates facilities, one asphalt mix facility, two ready-mixed concrete facilities, one recycling operation and undeveloped real property [Member] | Aggregates [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Number of facilities divested						2
Two aggregates facilities, one asphalt mix facility, two ready-mixed concrete facilities, one recycling operation and undeveloped real property [Member] | Concrete [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Number of facilities divested						2
Two aggregates facilities, one asphalt mix facility, two ready-mixed concrete facilities, one recycling operation and undeveloped real property [Member] | Asphalt Mix [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Number of facilities divested						1
Ten ready-mixed concrete facilities [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Amortizable intangible assets recognized						6,419,000
Estimated weighted-average amortization period of intangible assets						20 years
Consideration transferred, common stock						432,407
Price per share						$ 42.85
Total consideration						18,529,000
Ten ready-mixed concrete facilities [Member] | Aggregates [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Number of facilities acquired						10
Four aggregates facilities [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of businesses, net of transaction costs						61,774,000
Gain on sale of production facilities						39,659,000
Receivables from divestiture of facilities						2,400,000
Goodwill of dispositions						$ 10,300,000
Four aggregates facilities [Member] | Aggregates [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Number of facilities divested						4
Minimum | One aggregates production facility and four ready-mixed concrete facilities [Member] | Contractual Rights
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Estimated weighted-average amortization period of intangible assets			50 years
Minimum | Two aggregates production facilities [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Estimated weighted-average amortization period of intangible assets			20 years
Closing Date [Member] | Ten ready-mixed concrete facilities [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Common stock issued in connection with business acquisitions						372,992
Final Payment [Member] | Ten ready-mixed concrete facilities [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Common stock issued in connection with business acquisitions					60,855

[1] The goodwill of divested businesses relates to the 2013 divestitures discussed in Note 19.