Business Segment Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended																																													3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2013		Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2013 Construction [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Construction [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Construction [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Construction [Member] Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Large Project Construction [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Large Project Construction [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Large Project Construction [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Large Project Construction [Member] Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Construction Materials [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Construction Materials [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Construction Materials [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Real Estate Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Real Estate Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Operating Segments [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Operating Segments [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Operating Segments [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Operating Segments [Member] Construction [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Operating Segments [Member] Construction [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Operating Segments [Member] Construction [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Operating Segments [Member] Large Project Construction [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Operating Segments [Member] Large Project Construction [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Operating Segments [Member] Large Project Construction [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Operating Segments [Member] Construction Materials [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Operating Segments [Member] Construction Materials [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Operating Segments [Member] Construction Materials [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Operating Segments [Member] Real Estate Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Operating Segments [Member] Real Estate Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Operating Segments [Member] Real Estate Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Intersegment Eliminations [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Intersegment Eliminations [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Intersegment Eliminations [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Intersegment Eliminations [Member] Construction [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Intersegment Eliminations [Member] Construction [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Intersegment Eliminations [Member] Construction [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Intersegment Eliminations [Member] Large Project Construction [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Intersegment Eliminations [Member] Large Project Construction [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Intersegment Eliminations [Member] Large Project Construction [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Intersegment Eliminations [Member] Construction Materials [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Intersegment Eliminations [Member] Construction Materials [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Intersegment Eliminations [Member] Construction Materials [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Intersegment Eliminations [Member] Real Estate Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Intersegment Eliminations [Member] Real Estate Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Intersegment Eliminations [Member] Real Estate Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Segment Reconciling Items [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Segment Reconciling Items [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Segment Reconciling Items [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Enterprise Improvement Plan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Enterprise Improvement Plan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Enterprise Improvement Plan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Enterprise Improvement Plan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Enterprise Improvement Plan [Member] Construction Materials [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Enterprise Improvement Plan [Member] Real Estate Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Quarry property [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Quarry property [Member] Restructuring Type, Non-performing Quarry Sites [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Quarry property [Member] Restructuring Type, Non-performing Quarry Sites [Member] Enterprise Improvement Plan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Quarry property [Member] Restructuring Type, Non-performing Quarry Sites [Member] Enterprise Improvement Plan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Quarry property [Member] Restructuring Type, Non-performing Quarry Sites [Member] Enterprise Improvement Plan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Quarry property [Member] Restructuring Type, Non-performing Quarry Sites [Member] Enterprise Improvement Plan [Member] Construction Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Contract Value																		$ 75,000,000				$ 75,000,000
Real estate held for development and sale	12,478,000						50,223,000				12,478,000	50,223,000																																																									4,200,000			17,100,000	21,300,000
Revenue from external customers	598,099,000	739,750,000	[1]	550,348,000	[2]	378,704,000	504,781,000	728,482,000	539,615,000	310,160,000	2,266,901,000	2,083,037,000	2,009,531,000		1,251,197,000	984,106,000	1,043,614,000		777,811,000	863,217,000	725,043,000		237,752,000	230,642,000	220,583,000	141,000	5,072,000	20,291,000	2,401,290,000	2,262,428,000	2,204,566,000	1,251,197,000	984,106,000	1,043,614,000	777,811,000	863,217,000	725,043,000	372,141,000	410,033,000	415,618,000	141,000	5,072,000	20,291,000	(134,389,000)	(179,391,000)	(195,035,000)	0	0	0	0	0	0	(134,389,000)	(179,391,000)	(195,035,000)	0	0	0
Gross profit	49,751,000	55,858,000	[1]	49,596,000	[2]	30,058,000	56,808,000	101,099,000	51,916,000	24,936,000	185,263,000	234,759,000	247,963,000																185,263,000	234,759,000	247,963,000	106,374,000	77,963,000	124,506,000	71,808,000	148,418,000	104,108,000	6,953,000	7,572,000	16,641,000	128,000	806,000	2,708,000
Depreciation, depletion and amortization																													60,852,000	46,242,000	48,155,000	26,228,000	13,225,000	14,747,000	11,679,000	4,527,000	4,547,000	22,945,000	28,490,000	28,672,000	0	0	189,000
Segment assets	1,617,155,000						1,729,487,000				1,617,155,000	1,729,487,000	1,547,799,000																697,099,000	734,521,000	649,890,000	148,459,000	163,287,000	111,780,000	222,584,000	173,142,000	110,441,000	313,578,000	347,869,000	352,619,000	12,478,000	50,223,000	75,050,000
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Gross profit	49,751,000	55,858,000	[1]	49,596,000	[2]	30,058,000	56,808,000	101,099,000	51,916,000	24,936,000	185,263,000	234,759,000	247,963,000																185,263,000	234,759,000	247,963,000	106,374,000	77,963,000	124,506,000	71,808,000	148,418,000	104,108,000	6,953,000	7,572,000	16,641,000	128,000	806,000	2,708,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses																																																											199,946,000	185,099,000	162,302,000
Restructuring and impairment charges (gains), net																																																											52,139,000	(3,728,000)	2,181,000	48,975,000	(3,728,000)	2,181,000	109,300,000	10,300,000	86,300,000			0	226,000		14,651,000
Gain on sales of property and equipment							18,000,000																																																				12,130,000	27,447,000	15,789,000							18,000,000
Other (expense) income, net											(9,337,000)	194,000	(9,836,000)																																														(9,337,000)	194,000	(9,836,000)
Income (loss) before provision for (benefit from) income taxes											(64,029,000)	81,029,000	89,433,000
Cash and cash equivalents	229,121,000						321,990,000				229,121,000	321,990,000	256,990,000	252,022,000																																													229,121,000	321,990,000	256,990,000
Held-to-maturity marketable securities																																																											117,202,000	111,430,000	149,658,000
Receivables, net	313,598,000						325,529,000				313,598,000	325,529,000																																															313,598,000	325,529,000	251,838,000
Deferred income taxes	55,874,000						36,687,000				55,874,000	36,687,000																																															55,874,000	36,687,000	38,571,000
Other current assets	30,711,000						31,834,000				30,711,000	31,834,000																																															65,674,000	67,726,000	76,074,000
Property and equipment, net	436,859,000						481,478,000				436,859,000	481,478,000																																															54,330,000	50,857,000	46,180,000
Other noncurrent assets	$ 76,580,000						$ 84,392,000				$ 76,580,000	$ 84,392,000																																															$ 84,257,000	$ 80,747,000	$ 78,598,000

[1] Net income for the quarter ended September 30 is approximately $2.1 million ($3.0 million pre-tax) higher than the amount previously reported in our Quarterly Report Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2013 of $4.5 million. The pre-tax adjustments were primarily related to (i) an over-accrual of pre-bid costs which affected selling, general and administrative expenses and accrued and other current liabilities in the amount of $1.4 million and (ii) a revision in equipment-related costs, which affected cost of revenue and property and equipment in the amount of $1.6 million.

[2] Net income for the quarter ended June 30 is approximately $1.4 million ($1.9 million pre-tax) lower than the amounts previously reported in our Form 10-Q for the quarter period ended June 30, 2013 of $3.2 million. The pre-tax adjustments were primarily related to equipment-related costs of $1.7 million.