Legal Proceedings	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Legal Proceedings	Legal Proceedings In the ordinary course of business, we and our affiliates are involved in various legal proceedings that are pending against us and our affiliates alleging, among other things, public liability issues or breach of contract or tortious conduct in connection with the performance of services and/or materials provided, the various outcomes of which cannot be predicted with certainty. We and our affiliates are also subject to government inquiries in the ordinary course of business seeking information concerning our compliance with government construction contracting requirements and related laws and regulations. We record liabilities in our condensed consolidated balance sheets representing our estimated liabilities relating to legal proceedings and government inquiries to the extent that we have concluded such liabilities are probable and the amounts of such liabilities are reasonably estimable. The aggregate liabilities recorded as of March 31, 2014, December 31, 2013 and March 31, 2013 related to these matters were approximately $11.1 million, $16.3 million and $9.9 million, respectively, and were primarily included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities on our condensed consolidated balance sheets. Some of the matters in which we or our affiliates are involved may involve compensatory, punitive, or other claims or sanctions that, if granted, could require us to pay damages or make other expenditures in amounts that are not probable to be incurred or cannot currently be reasonably estimated. In addition, in some circumstances our government contracts could be terminated, we could be suspended or debarred, or payment of our costs could be disallowed. While any of our pending legal proceedings may be subject to early resolution as a result of our ongoing efforts to settle, whether or when any legal proceeding will be resolved through settlement is neither predictable nor guaranteed. Accordingly, it is possible that future developments in such proceedings and inquiries could require us to (i) adjust existing accruals, or (ii) record new accruals that we did not originally believe to be probable or that could not be reasonably estimated. Such changes could be material to our financial condition, results of operations and/or cash flows in any particular reporting period. In addition to matters that are considered probable for which the loss can be reasonably estimated, we also disclose certain matters where the loss is considered reasonably possible and is reasonably estimable. Except as noted below, we believe the aggregate range of possible loss related to matters considered reasonably possible was not material as of March 31, 2014. Our view as to such matters could change in future periods. Investigation Related to Grand Avenue Project Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (“DBE”) Issues: On March 6, 2009, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General served upon our wholly-owned subsidiary, Granite Construction Northeast, Inc. (“Granite Northeast”), a United States District Court, Eastern District of New York Grand Jury subpoena to produce documents. The subpoena sought all documents pertaining to the use of a DBE firm (the “Subcontractor”), and the Subcontractor’s use of a non-DBE subcontractor/consultant, on the Grand Avenue Bus Depot and Central Maintenance Facility for the Borough of Queens Project (the “Grand Avenue Project”), a Granite Northeast project, that began in 2004 and was substantially complete in 2008. The subpoena also sought any documents regarding the use of the Subcontractor as a DBE on any other projects and any other documents related to the Subcontractor or to the subcontractor/consultant. Granite Northeast produced the requested documents, together with other requested information. Subsequently, Granite Northeast was informed by the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) that it is a subject of an investigation, along with others, and that the DOJ believes that Granite Northeast’s claim of DBE credit for the Subcontractor was improper. In addition to the documents produced in response to the Grand Jury subpoena, Granite Northeast has provided requested information to the DOJ, along with other federal and state agencies (the “Agencies”) concerning other DBE entities for which Granite Northeast has historically claimed DBE credit. The Agencies have informed Granite Northeast that they believe that the claimed DBE credit taken for some of those other DBE entities was improper. Granite Northeast has met several times since January 2013 with Assistant United States Attorneys and the Agencies’ representatives to discuss the status of the government’s criminal investigation of the Grand Avenue Project participants, including Granite Northeast, and for Granite Northeast and the Agencies to discuss their respective positions on, and potential resolution of, the issues raised in the investigation. As a result of this investigation, Granite Northeast is subject to potential civil, criminal, and/or administrative penalties or sanctions, as well as certain costs related to future DBE compliance activities. Granite believes that the incurrence of some form of penalty or sanction is probable, and has therefore recorded what it believes to be the most likely amount of liability it may incur in its condensed consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2014. Granite believes that it is reasonably possible that it may incur liability in relation to this matter that is in excess of such accrual; however, it is not possible to reasonably estimate the amount or range of any such excess. The resolution of the matters under investigation could have direct or indirect consequences that could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and/or liquidity.

Legal Proceedings

In the ordinary course of business, we and our affiliates are involved in various legal proceedings that are pending against us and our affiliates alleging, among other things, public liability issues or breach of contract or tortious conduct in connection with the performance of services and/or materials provided, the various outcomes of which cannot be predicted with certainty. We and our affiliates are also subject to government inquiries in the ordinary course of business seeking information concerning our compliance with government construction contracting requirements and related laws and regulations.

We record liabilities in our condensed consolidated balance sheets representing our estimated liabilities relating to legal proceedings and government inquiries to the extent that we have concluded such liabilities are probable and the amounts of such liabilities are reasonably estimable. The aggregate liabilities recorded as of March 31, 2014, December 31, 2013 and March 31, 2013 related to these matters were approximately $11.1 million, $16.3 million and $9.9 million, respectively, and were primarily included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities on our condensed consolidated balance sheets. Some of the matters in which we or our affiliates are involved may involve compensatory, punitive, or other claims or sanctions that, if granted, could require us to pay damages or make other expenditures in amounts that are not probable to be incurred or cannot currently be reasonably estimated. In addition, in some circumstances our government contracts could be terminated, we could be suspended or debarred, or payment of our costs could be disallowed. While any of our pending legal proceedings may be subject to early resolution as a result of our ongoing efforts to settle, whether or when any legal proceeding will be resolved through settlement is neither predictable nor guaranteed. Accordingly, it is possible that future developments in such proceedings and inquiries could require us to (i) adjust existing accruals, or (ii) record new accruals that we did not originally believe to be probable or that could not be reasonably estimated. Such changes could be material to our financial condition, results of operations and/or cash flows in any particular reporting period. In addition to matters that are considered probable for which the loss can be reasonably estimated, we also disclose certain matters where the loss is considered reasonably possible and is reasonably estimable. Except as noted below, we believe the aggregate range of possible loss related to matters considered reasonably possible was not material as of March 31, 2014. Our view as to such matters could change in future periods.

Investigation Related to Grand Avenue Project Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (“DBE”) Issues: On March 6, 2009, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General served upon our wholly-owned subsidiary, Granite Construction Northeast, Inc. (“Granite Northeast”), a United States District Court, Eastern District of New York Grand Jury subpoena to produce documents. The subpoena sought all documents pertaining to the use of a DBE firm (the “Subcontractor”), and the Subcontractor’s use of a non-DBE subcontractor/consultant, on the Grand Avenue Bus Depot and Central Maintenance Facility for the Borough of Queens Project (the “Grand Avenue Project”), a Granite Northeast project, that began in 2004 and was substantially complete in 2008. The subpoena also sought any documents regarding the use of the Subcontractor as a DBE on any other projects and any other documents related to the Subcontractor or to the subcontractor/consultant. Granite Northeast produced the requested documents, together with other requested information. Subsequently, Granite Northeast was informed by the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) that it is a subject of an investigation, along with others, and that the DOJ believes that Granite Northeast’s claim of DBE credit for the Subcontractor was improper. In addition to the documents produced in response to the Grand Jury subpoena, Granite Northeast has provided requested information to the DOJ, along with other federal and state agencies (the “Agencies”) concerning other DBE entities for which Granite Northeast has historically claimed DBE credit. The Agencies have informed Granite Northeast that they believe that the claimed DBE credit taken for some of those other DBE entities was improper. Granite Northeast has met several times since January 2013 with Assistant United States Attorneys and the Agencies’ representatives to discuss the status of the government’s criminal investigation of the Grand Avenue Project participants, including Granite Northeast, and for Granite Northeast and the Agencies to discuss their respective positions on, and potential resolution of, the issues raised in the investigation. As a result of this investigation, Granite Northeast is subject to potential civil, criminal, and/or administrative penalties or sanctions, as well as certain costs related to future DBE compliance activities. Granite believes that the incurrence of some form of penalty or sanction is probable, and has therefore recorded what it believes to be the most likely amount of liability it may incur in its condensed consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2014. Granite believes that it is reasonably possible that it may incur liability in relation to this matter that is in excess of such accrual; however, it is not possible to reasonably estimate the amount or range of any such excess. The resolution of the matters under investigation could have direct or indirect consequences that could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and/or liquidity.