Construction and Line Item Joint Ventures - Unconsolidated Construction Joint Ventures (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 project		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Equity in Construction Joint Ventures Current Assets Excluding Deficit in Equity	$ 162,673,000		$ 105,805,000
Partnership Interest [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	4,400,000,000
Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] | Consolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Number of active construction joint venture projects	4
Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Number of active construction joint venture projects	11
Cash and cash equivalents	385,094,000	[1]	244,686,000	[1]
Other assets	523,827,000		301,412,000
Accounts payable	155,985,000		114,039,000
Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings	245,341,000	[1]	161,268,000	[1]
Other liabilities	104,152,000		5,873,000
Revenue	1,391,190,000		1,042,209,000		938,867,000
Cost of revenue	1,107,533,000		785,079,000		765,446,000
Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Number of active construction joint venture projects	4
Reporting Entitys Interest in Joint Venture [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	1,200,000,000
Interest in assets	296,391,000		203,553,000
Interest in liabilities	133,718,000		97,748,000
Revenue	408,456,000		376,427,000		315,777,000
Cost of revenue	334,863,000		273,239,000		246,106,000
Granite's interest in gross profit	73,593,000		103,188,000		69,671,000
Other Partners Interest in Partnerships [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	3,200,000,000
Interest in assets	612,530,000		342,545,000
Interest in liabilities	371,760,000		183,432,000
Revenue	982,734,000	[2]	665,782,000		623,090,000
Cost of revenue	772,670,000	[2]	511,840,000		519,340,000
Minimum [Member] | Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] | Consolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	400,000
Minimum [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	40,000,000
Minimum [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	42,600,000
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	51.00%
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	700,000
Minimum [Member] | Reporting Entitys Interest in Joint Venture [Member] | Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	23,600,000
Revenue Per Project Remaining to be Recognized on Unconsolidated and Line Item Construction Joint Ventures	600,000
Maximum [Member] | Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] | Consolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	337,000,000
Maximum [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	3,100,000,000
Maximum [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	84,200,000
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	65.00%
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	50.00%
Revenue Per Project Remaining to be Recognized on Unconsolidated and Line Item Construction Joint Ventures	624,800,000
Maximum [Member] | Reporting Entitys Interest in Joint Venture [Member] | Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Total Construction Contract Value	61,900,000
Revenue Per Project Remaining to be Recognized on Unconsolidated and Line Item Construction Joint Ventures	$ 17,700,000

[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. 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.

[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.