ACQUISITIONS AND DIVESTITURES (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013 Aggregates	Jun. 30, 2013 Aggregates property	Jun. 30, 2013 Aggregates	Jun. 30, 2013 Aggregates Previous Appraisal Value [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Concrete	Jun. 30, 2013 Concrete property	Jun. 30, 2014 Cement And Concrete [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Previously mined and subsequently reclaimed tract of land [Member] Aggregates	Jun. 30, 2014 Unimproved land previously containing a sales yard [Member] Aggregates	Dec. 31, 2013 Land containing 236 million tons of aggregates reserves [Member] T	Jun. 30, 2013 Two aggregates production facilities [Member] property
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Cash proceeds from divestiture				$ 719,089,000	$ 52,908,000			$ 34,743,000	$ 5,133,000
Gain on sale of properties and businesses		1,162,000	23,410,000	237,526,000	27,520,000			21,183,000	2,802,000		9,027,000		229,094,000	168,000	5,790,000
Supply agreement period				20 years
Aggregates reserves acquired																136,000,000
Purchases of property, plant & equipment				116,312,000	60,041,000											117,000,000
Payment for acquisition of businesses				207,000	89,951,000							29,983,000					59,968,000
Number of facilities acquired												4					2
Amortizable intangible assets recognized									3,620,000	800,000
Property, plant & equipment	6,396,658,000	6,396,658,000	6,735,203,000	6,396,658,000	6,735,203,000	6,933,602,000		52,583,000	52,583,000	45,888,000
Proceeds from sale of property, plant & equipment				20,454,000	2,517,000						11,261,000			10,727,000	5,820,000
Gross proceeds from sale of future production							154,000,000
Transaction costs							905,000
Number of facilities divested								4
Goodwill recognized in business acquisition									0	9,759,000
Common stock issued in connection with business acquisitions	16,896
Goodwill of dispositions								$ 4,521,000	$ 674,000