Construction and Line Item Joint Ventures - Unconsolidated Construction Joint Ventures (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011 project		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2009
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Equity in construction joint ventures	$ 101,029,000		$ 74,716,000
Partnership Interest [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	1,700,000,000
Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] | Consolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Number of active construction joint venture projects	2
Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Number of active construction joint venture projects	8
Cash and cash equivalents	338,681,000	[1]	318,408,000	[1]
Other assets	264,901,000		212,911,000
Accounts payable	85,075,000		72,658,000
Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings	280,650,000	[1]	282,702,000	[1]
Other liabilities	8,595,000		8,893,000
Revenue	938,867,000		604,209,000		420,190,000
Cost of revenue	765,446,000		550,170,000		382,665,000
Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Number of active construction joint venture projects	3
Reporting Entitys Interest in Joint Venture [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	725,300,000
Interest in assets	238,603,000		206,834,000
Interest in liabilities	137,574,000		132,118,000
Revenue	315,777,000		189,304,000		103,206,000
Cost of revenue	246,106,000		177,396,000		95,421,000
Granite's interest in gross profit	69,671,000		11,908,000		7,785,000
Other Partners Interest in Partnerships [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	927,200,000
Interest in assets	364,979,000		324,485,000
Interest in liabilities	236,746,000		232,135,000
Revenue	623,090,000	[2]	414,905,000		316,984,000
Cost of revenue	519,340,000	[2]	372,774,000		287,244,000
Minimum [Member] | Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] | Consolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	233,100,000
Minimum [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	57,700,000
Minimum [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	54,100,000
Minimum [Member] | Reporting Entitys Interest in Joint Venture [Member] | Consolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Proportionate Share of the Consolidated and Unconsolidated Joint Ventures Equity Owned by or Beneficial Interest in the Reporting Entity Directly or Indirectly	45.00%
Minimum [Member] | Reporting Entitys Interest in Joint Venture [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Proportionate Share of the Consolidated and Unconsolidated Joint Ventures Equity Owned by or Beneficial Interest in the Reporting Entity Directly or Indirectly	20.00%
Revenue Per Project Remaining to be Recognized on Unconsolidated and Line Item Construction Joint Ventures	2,900,000
Minimum [Member] | Reporting Entitys Interest in Joint Venture [Member] | Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	21,200,000
Revenue Per Project Remaining to be Recognized on Unconsolidated and Line Item Construction Joint Ventures	6,700,000
Maximum [Member] | Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] | Consolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	315,600,000
Maximum [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	1,200,000,000
Maximum [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	129,300,000
Maximum [Member] | Reporting Entitys Interest in Joint Venture [Member] | Consolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Proportionate Share of the Consolidated and Unconsolidated Joint Ventures Equity Owned by or Beneficial Interest in the Reporting Entity Directly or Indirectly	60.00%
Maximum [Member] | Reporting Entitys Interest in Joint Venture [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Proportionate Share of the Consolidated and Unconsolidated Joint Ventures Equity Owned by or Beneficial Interest in the Reporting Entity Directly or Indirectly	49.00%
Revenue Per Project Remaining to be Recognized on Unconsolidated and Line Item Construction Joint Ventures	277,200,000
Maximum [Member] | Reporting Entitys Interest in Joint Venture [Member] | Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	53,100,000
Revenue Per Project Remaining to be Recognized on Unconsolidated and Line Item Construction Joint Ventures	$ 40,100,000

[1] The volume and stage of completion of contracts from our unconsolidated construction joint ventures may cause fluctuations in cash and cash equivalents as well as billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings between periods.

[2] Partners’ interest represents amounts to reconcile total revenue and total cost of revenue as reported by our partners to Granite’s interest adjusted to reflect our accounting policies.