SEGMENT REPORTING (Segment Financial Disclosure) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013		Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 755,027		$ 873,579	$ 791,143	$ 574,420	$ 680,246		$ 813,568	$ 738,733	$ 538,162	$ 2,994,169		$ 2,770,709		$ 2,567,310
Gross profit	169,660		209,042	174,788	34,092	117,347		158,983	132,895	17,655	587,582		426,880		334,026
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization											279,497		307,108		331,959
Cash items	141,273					193,738					141,273		193,738		275,478		155,839
Total assets	8,061,902					8,259,143					8,061,902		8,259,143		8,126,600
Capital expenditures
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	223,100					284,600					223,100		284,600		95,800
Identifiable assets
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	7,808,300	[1]				7,985,100	[1]				7,808,300	[1]	7,985,100	[1]	7,746,600	[1]
Segments sales
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Product sales											3,192,800		3,003,400		2,754,500
Aggregates
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Gross profit											544,100		413,300		352,100
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization											227,000		224,800		240,700
Aggregates | Capital expenditures
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	180,000					253,000					180,000		253,000		77,000
Aggregates | Identifiable assets
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	7,311,300	[1]				7,006,700	[1]				7,311,300	[1]	7,006,700	[1]	6,717,300	[1]
Aggregates | Segments sales
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Product sales											2,346,400	[2]	2,025,000	[2]	1,863,900	[2]
Aggregates | Intersegment sales
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues											(189,400)		(185,400)		(148,200)
Concrete
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Gross profit											2,200	[3]	(24,800)	[3]	(38,200)	[3]
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization											19,900	[3]	33,000	[3]	41,300	[3]
Concrete | Capital expenditures
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	19,500	[3]				13,100	[3]				19,500	[3]	13,100	[3]	9,200	[3]
Concrete | Identifiable assets
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	227,000	[1],[3]				370,100	[1],[3]				227,000	[1],[3]	370,100	[1],[3]	412,300	[1],[3]
Concrete | Segments sales
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Product sales											375,800	[3]	471,700	[3]	406,400	[3]
Asphalt Mix
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Gross profit											38,100		32,700		22,900
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization											10,700		8,700		8,700
Asphalt Mix | Capital expenditures
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	20,800					17,100					20,800		17,100		7,200
Asphalt Mix | Identifiable assets
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	264,200	[1]				195,000	[1]				264,200	[1]	195,000	[1]	218,900	[1]
Asphalt Mix | Segments sales
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Product sales											445,600		407,700		398,400
Calcium [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Gross profit											3,200	[4]	5,700	[4]	(2,800)	[4]
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization											1,600	[4]	18,100	[4]	18,100	[4]
Calcium [Member] | Capital expenditures
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	200	[4]				200	[4]				200	[4]	200	[4]	1,200	[4]
Calcium [Member] | Identifiable assets
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	5,800	[1],[4]				413,300	[1],[4]				5,800	[1],[4]	413,300	[1],[4]	398,100	[1],[4]
Calcium [Member] | Segments sales
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Product sales											25,000	[4]	99,000	[4]	85,800	[4]
Calcium [Member] | Intersegment sales
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues											(9,200)		(47,300)		(39,000)
Other unallocated
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization											20,300		22,500		23,200
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	112,300					80,300					112,300		80,300		104,500
Corporate | Capital expenditures
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	$ 2,600					$ 1,200					$ 2,600		$ 1,200		$ 1,200

[1] 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 as the related DDA&A is excluded from segment gross profit.

[2] Includes product sales, as well a freight, delivery and transportation revenues, and other revenues related to services.

[3] On March 7, 2014, we sold our concrete business in the Florida area (see Note 19).

[4] Includes cement and calcium products. On March 7, 2014, we sold our cement business (see Note 19).