DEBT	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2021
DEBT [Abstract]
DEBT	Note 7: Debt Debt is detailed as follows: Effective September 30 December 31 September 30 in thousandsInterest Rates 2021 2020 2020 Short-term Debt Bank line of credit expires 2025 1 $                  0  $                0  $                0  Total short-term debt $                  0  $                0  $                0  Long-term Debt Bank line of credit expires 2025 1 $                  0  $                0  $                0  Delayed draw term loan expires 20241.21% 1,100,000  0  0  Floating-rate notes due 2021 0  500,000  500,000  8.85% notes due 20218.88% 6,000  6,000  6,000  4.50% notes due 20254.65% 400,000  400,000  400,000  3.90% notes due 20274.00% 400,000  400,000  400,000  3.50% notes due 20303.94% 750,000  750,000  750,000  7.15% notes due 20378.05% 129,239  129,239  129,239  4.50% notes due 20474.59% 700,000  700,000  700,000  4.70% notes due 20485.42% 460,949  460,949  460,949  Other notes2.45% 11,020  11,711  11,718  Total long-term debt - face value $    3,957,208  $  3,357,899  $  3,357,906  Unamortized discounts and debt issuance costs (70,864) (70,224) (71,399) Total long-term debt - book value $    3,886,344  $  3,287,675  $  3,286,507  Less current maturities 12,228  515,435  509,435  Total long-term debt - reported value $    3,874,116  $  2,772,240  $  2,777,072  Estimated fair value of long-term debt $    4,442,119  $  3,443,225  $  3,341,097  1Borrowings on the bank line of credit are classified as short-term if we intend to repay within twelve months and as long-term if we have the intent and ability to extend payment beyond twelve months. Discounts and debt issuance costs are amortized using the effective interest method over the terms of the respective notes resulting in $12,647,000 and $6,028,000 of net interest expense for these items for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. BRIDGE FACILITY, DELAYED DRAW TERM LOAN AND LINE OF CREDIT In June 2021, concurrent with the announcement of the pending acquisition of U.S. Concrete (see Note 16 for additional information), we obtained a $2,200,000,000 bridge facility commitment from Truist Bank. Later, in June 2021, we entered into a $1,600,000,000 delayed draw term loan facility with a subset of the banks that provide our line of credit. The bridge facility commitment was terminated as a condition to the execution of the delayed draw term loan facility. The delayed draw term loan was drawn in August 2021 for $1,600,000,000 in connection with the acquisition of U.S. Concrete and was subsequently paid down to $1,100,000,000 prior to September 30, 2021. Any amounts repaid are no longer available for borrowing and outstanding borrowings are due August 2024. The delayed draw term loan contains covenants customary for an unsecured investment-grade facility and mirror those in our line of credit. As of September 30, 2021, we were in compliance with the delayed draw term loan covenants. Financing costs for the bridge facility commitment and the delayed draw term loan facility totaled $13,316,000, $9,384,000 of which was recognized as interest expense in the second quarter of 2021. Borrowings on the delayed draw term loan bear interest, at our option, at either LIBOR plus a credit margin ranging from 0.875% to 1.375%, or Truist Bank’s base rate (generally, its prime rate) plus a credit margin ranging from 0.000% to 0.375%. The credit margins and commitment fee are determined by our credit ratings. As of September 30, 2021, the credit margin for LIBOR borrowings was 1.000% and the credit margin for base rate borrowings was 0.000%. In September 2020, we executed a new five-year unsecured line of credit of $1,000,000,000, incurring $4,632,000 of deferred transaction costs. The line of credit contains covenants customary for an unsecured investment-grade facility. As of September 30, 2021, we were in compliance with the line of credit covenants. Borrowings on the line of credit bear interest, at our option, at either LIBOR plus a credit margin ranging from 1.000% to 1.625%, or Truist Bank’s base rate (generally, its prime rate) plus a credit margin ranging from 0.000% to 0.625%. The credit margin for both LIBOR and base rate borrowings is determined by our credit ratings. Standby letters of credit, which are issued under the line of credit and reduce availability, are charged a fee equal to the credit margin for LIBOR borrowings plus 0.175%. We also pay a commitment fee on the daily average unused amount of the line of credit that ranges from 0.090% to 0.225% determined by our credit ratings. As of September 30, 2021, the credit margin for LIBOR borrowings was 1.125%, the credit margin for base rate borrowings was 0.125%, and the commitment fee for the unused amount was 0.100%. As of September 30, 2021, our available borrowing capacity under the line of credit was $941,665,000. Utilization of the borrowing capacity was as follows: none was borrowed$58,335,000 was used to provide support for outstanding standby letters of credit TERM DEBT Essentially all of our $3,957,208,000 (face value) of term debt is unsecured. $2,846,188,000 of such debt is governed by three essentially identical indentures that contain customary investment-grade type covenants. As of September 30, 2021, we were in compliance with all term debt covenants. In August 2021, we assumed $434,463,000 (fair value) of senior notes due 2029 in connection with the acquisition of U.S. Concrete and subsequently retired these notes in September 2021. In May 2020, we issued $750,000,000 of 3.50% senior notes due 2030. Total proceeds were $741,417,000 (net of discounts and transaction costs). $250,000,000 of the proceeds were used to retire the $250,000,000 floating rate notes due June 2020. The remainder of the proceeds, together with cash on hand, was used to retire the $500,000,000 floating rate notes due March 2021. STANDBY LETTERS OF CREDIT We provide, in the normal course of business, certain third-party beneficiaries with standby letters of credit to support our obligations to pay or perform according to the requirements of an underlying agreement. Such letters of credit typically have an initial term of one year, typically renew automatically, and can only be modified or canceled with the approval of the beneficiary. Except for $24,850,000 of risk management letters of credit that expire in July 2022, our standby letters of credit are issued by banks that participate in our $1,000,000,000 line of credit, and reduce the borrowing capacity thereunder. Our standby letters of credit as of September 30, 2021 are summarized by purpose in the table below: in thousands Standby Letters of Credit Risk management insurance$       74,794  Reclamation/restoration requirements 8,391  Total$       83,185