Construction and Line Item Joint Ventures - Unconsolidated Construction Joint Ventures (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014		Mar. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2013
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Equity in net income from unconsolidated joint ventures	$ (2,562,000)		$ (17,018,000)
Equity in construction joint ventures	168,045,000		171,265,000		162,673,000
Equity in Construction Joint Ventures Current Assets Excluding Deficit in Equity	168,045,000	[1]			162,673,000	[1]
Deficit in unconsolidatedconstruction joint venture					47,000
Partnership Interest [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Revenue Remaining to be Recognized on Unconsolidated Construction Joint Ventures	4,200,000,000
Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] | Consolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Number of Active Joint Venture Projects	4
Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Number of Active Joint Venture Projects	11
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Revenue	51,000,000		66,000,000
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Cost of Revenue	297,461,000		158,695,000
Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Number of Active Joint Venture Projects	4
Reporting Entitys Interest in Joint Venture [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Assets	280,214,000		268,610,000		296,391,000
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Liabilities	112,169,000		97,345,000		133,718,000
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Cost of Revenue	86,555,000		54,362,000
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Gross Profit Loss	2,755,000		17,238,000
Revenue Remaining to be Recognized on Unconsolidated Construction Joint Ventures	1,200,000,000
Other Partners Interest in Partnerships [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Assets	542,114,000		466,690,000		612,530,000
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Liabilities	278,996,000		238,935,000		371,760,000
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Cost of Revenue	210,906,000	[2]	104,333,000	[2]
Revenue Remaining to be Recognized on Unconsolidated Construction Joint Ventures	3,000,000,000
Minimum [Member] | Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] | Consolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Construction Contract Value	400,000
Proportionate Share of the Consolidated Joint Ventures Equity Owned by or Beneficial Interest in the Reporting Entity Directly or Indirectly	51.00%
Minimum [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Construction Contract Value	40,000,000
Proportionate Share of the Consolidated Joint Ventures Equity Owned by or Beneficial Interest in the Reporting Entity Directly or Indirectly	20.00%
Minimum [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Construction Contract Value	42,400,000
Revenue Per Project Remaining to be Recognized on Line Item Construction Joint Ventures	400,000
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
Minimum [Member] | Reporting Entitys Interest in Joint Venture [Member] | Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Construction Contract Value	23,600,000
Maximum [Member] | Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] | Consolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Construction Contract Value	337,400,000
Proportionate Share of the Consolidated Joint Ventures Equity Owned by or Beneficial Interest in the Reporting Entity Directly or Indirectly	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
Proportionate Share of the Consolidated Joint Ventures Equity Owned by or Beneficial Interest in the Reporting Entity Directly or Indirectly	50.00%
Maximum [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Construction Contract Value	74,700,000
Revenue Per Project Remaining to be Recognized on Line Item Construction Joint Ventures	16,500,000
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	591,100,000
Maximum [Member] | Reporting Entitys Interest in Joint Venture [Member] | Line Item Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Construction Contract Value	62,100,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Assets	240,486,000	[1]	401,746,000	[1]	385,094,000	[1]
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	581,842,000		333,554,000		523,827,000
Accounts Payable [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Liabilities	131,441,000		103,050,000		155,985,000
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	189,979,000	[1]	226,269,000	[1]	245,341,000	[1]
Accrued Liabilities [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Liabilities	69,745,000		6,961,000		104,152,000
As Reported
Construction Joint Venture [Line Items]
Equity in net income from unconsolidated joint ventures			$ 0

[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.