Construction and Line Item Joint Ventures - Unconsolidated Construction Joint Ventures (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012		Dec. 31, 2012
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Equity in construction joint ventures	$ 148,727,000		$ 107,821,000		$ 148,727,000		$ 107,821,000		$ 105,805,000
Equity in Construction Joint Ventures Current Assets Excluding Deficit in Equity	148,494,000	[1]			148,494,000	[1]			105,572,000	[1]
Deficit in unconsolidatedconstruction joint venture	200,000				200,000				233,000
Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Number of Active Joint Venture Projects	5				5
Partnership Interest [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Revenue Remaining to be Recognized on Unconsolidated Construction Joint Ventures	5,100,000,000				5,100,000,000
Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] | Consolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Number of Active Joint Venture Projects	4				4
Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Number of Active Joint Venture Projects	12				12
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Revenue	259,255,000		284,095,000	[2]	484,558,000		489,926,000	[2]
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Cost of Revenue	212,779,000		227,389,000	[2]	371,475,000		397,001,000	[2]
Reporting Entitys Interest in Joint Venture [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Assets	269,571,000		245,707,000		269,571,000		245,707,000		203,553,000
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Liabilities	121,077,000		137,886,000		121,077,000		137,886,000		97,981,000
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Revenue	86,599,000		100,234,000		158,197,000		173,862,000
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Cost of Revenue	71,120,000		77,298,000		122,495,000		137,670,000
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Gross Profit Loss	15,479,000		22,936,000		35,702,000		36,192,000
Revenue Remaining to be Recognized on Unconsolidated Construction Joint Ventures	1,400,000,000				1,400,000,000
Other Partners Interest in Partnerships [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Assets	512,775,000		392,139,000		512,775,000		392,139,000		342,545,000
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Liabilities	282,521,000		238,234,000		282,521,000		238,234,000		183,432,000
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Revenue	172,656,000	[3]	183,861,000	[2],[3]	326,361,000	[3]	316,064,000	[2],[3]
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Cost of Revenue	141,659,000	[3]	150,091,000	[2],[3]	248,980,000	[3]	259,331,000	[2],[3]
Revenue Remaining to be Recognized on Unconsolidated Construction Joint Ventures	3,700,000,000				3,700,000,000
Minimum [Member] | Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Revenue Per Project Remaining to be Recognized on Line Item Construction Joint Ventures	300,000				300,000
Minimum [Member] | Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] | Consolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Construction Contract Value	400,000				400,000
Proportionate Share of the Consolidated Joint Ventures Equity Owned by or Beneficial Interest in the Reporting Entity Directly or Indirectly	51.00%				51.00%
Minimum [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Construction Contract Value	40,300,000				40,300,000
Proportionate Share of the Consolidated Joint Ventures Equity Owned by or Beneficial Interest in the Reporting Entity Directly or Indirectly	20.00%				20.00%
Minimum [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Construction Contract Value	42,200,000				42,200,000
Minimum [Member] | Reporting Entitys Interest in Joint Venture [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Revenue Remaining to be Recognized on Unconsolidated Construction Joint Ventures	300,000				300,000
Minimum [Member] | Reporting Entitys Interest in Joint Venture [Member] | Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Construction Contract Value	25,100,000				25,100,000
Maximum [Member] | Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] | Consolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Construction Contract Value	336,900,000				336,900,000
Proportionate Share of the Consolidated Joint Ventures Equity Owned by or Beneficial Interest in the Reporting Entity Directly or Indirectly	65.00%				65.00%
Maximum [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Construction Contract Value	3,100,000,000				3,100,000,000
Proportionate Share of the Consolidated Joint Ventures Equity Owned by or Beneficial Interest in the Reporting Entity Directly or Indirectly	50.00%				50.00%
Maximum [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Construction Contract Value	138,200,000				138,200,000
Revenue Per Project Remaining to be Recognized on Line Item Construction Joint Ventures	23,800,000				23,800,000
Maximum [Member] | Reporting Entitys Interest in Joint Venture [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Revenue Remaining to be Recognized on Unconsolidated Construction Joint Ventures	722,900,000				722,900,000
Maximum [Member] | Reporting Entitys Interest in Joint Venture [Member] | Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Construction Contract Value	59,500,000				59,500,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Assets	342,534,000	[4]	337,102,000	[4]	342,534,000	[4]	337,102,000	[4]	244,686,000	[4]
Other Assets, Current and Longterm [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Assets	439,812,000		300,744,000		439,812,000		300,744,000		301,412,000
Accounts Payable [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Liabilities	115,606,000		101,782,000		115,606,000		101,782,000		114,039,000
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Liabilities	262,259,000	[4]	265,883,000	[4]	262,259,000	[4]	265,883,000	[4]	161,268,000	[4]
Accrued Liabilities [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Liabilities	25,733,000		8,455,000		25,733,000		8,455,000		6,106,000
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Revenue			663,536,000				869,368,000
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Cost of Revenue			544,838,000				714,450,000
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member] | Other Partners Interest in Partnerships [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Revenue			563,302,000				695,505,000
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Cost of Revenue			$ 467,540,000				$ 576,780,000

[1] As of June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, this balance included $0.2 million of deficit in unconsolidated construction joint ventures that is included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

[2] 1While Granite’s interest in revenue, cost of revenue and gross profit were correctly stated, total and partners’ interest for revenue and cost of revenue for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2012 were inadvertently misstated in our Quarterly Report for the quarter ended June 30, 2012. Total revenue, partner’s interest in revenue, total cost of revenue and partners’ interest in cost of revenue reported were (in thousands): $663,536, $563,302, $544,838 and $467,540, respectively, for the three months ended June 30, 2012, and $869,368, $695,505, $714,450 and $576,780, respectively, for the six months ended June 30, 2012.

[3] 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.

[4] 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. The decision to distribute joint venture cash and cash equivalents and assets must generally be made jointly by all of the partners and, accordingly, these cash and cash equivalents and assets generally are not available for the working capital needs of Granite until distributed.