CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents ($52,884, $61,276 and $27,612 related to consolidated construction joint ventures (“CCJVs”))	$ 239,403	$ 255,961	$ 205,780
Short-term marketable securities	19,282us-gaap_MarketableSecuritiesCurrent	25,504us-gaap_MarketableSecuritiesCurrent	41,143us-gaap_MarketableSecuritiesCurrent
Receivables, net ($39,711, $36,781 and $39,014 related to CCJVs)	271,328	310,934	245,281
Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings	56,907	36,411	53,311
Inventories	64,636us-gaap_InventoryNet	68,920us-gaap_InventoryNet	77,407us-gaap_InventoryNet
Real estate held for development and sale	11,609	11,609	11,742
Deferred income taxes	53,231us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent	53,231us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent	55,874us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent
Equity in construction joint ventures	197,570	184,575	168,045
Other current assets	26,613us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent	23,033us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent	40,142us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent
Total current assets	940,579us-gaap_AssetsCurrent	970,178us-gaap_AssetsCurrent	898,725us-gaap_AssetsCurrent
Property and equipment, net ($9,729, $11,969 and $19,801 related to CCJVs)	399,910us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	409,653us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	432,398us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Long-term marketable securities	80,522us-gaap_MarketableSecuritiesNoncurrent	76,563us-gaap_MarketableSecuritiesNoncurrent	65,969us-gaap_MarketableSecuritiesNoncurrent
Investments in affiliates	32,031	32,361	33,336
Goodwill	53,799us-gaap_Goodwill	53,799us-gaap_Goodwill	53,799us-gaap_Goodwill
Other noncurrent assets	76,687us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent	77,940us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent	76,944us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent
Total assets	1,583,528us-gaap_Assets	1,620,494us-gaap_Assets	1,561,171us-gaap_Assets
Current liabilities
Current maturities of long-term debt	22us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent	21us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent	21us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent
Current maturities of non-recourse debt	6,435gva_NonRecourseDebtCurrentMaturities	1,226gva_NonRecourseDebtCurrentMaturities	1,226gva_NonRecourseDebtCurrentMaturities
Accounts payable ($14,960, $18,009 and $22,136 related to CCJVs)	121,013us-gaap_AccountsPayableCurrent	151,935us-gaap_AccountsPayableCurrent	141,241us-gaap_AccountsPayableCurrent
Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings ($29,963, $32,830 and $43,087 related to CCJVs)	95,328us-gaap_BillingsInExcessOfCost	108,992us-gaap_BillingsInExcessOfCost	125,618us-gaap_BillingsInExcessOfCost
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	225,255	200,652	193,307
Total current liabilities	448,053us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent	462,826us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent	461,413us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent
Long-term debt	270,105us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent	270,105us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent	270,127us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
Long-term non-recourse debt	0gva_NonRecourseDebtNoncurrent	5,516gva_NonRecourseDebtNoncurrent	6,435gva_NonRecourseDebtNoncurrent
Other long-term liabilities	42,058us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent	44,495us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent	48,662us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent
Deferred income taxes	20,615	20,446	9,803
Commitments and contingencies
Equity
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, authorized 3,000,000 shares, none outstanding	0us-gaap_PreferredStockValueOutstanding	0us-gaap_PreferredStockValueOutstanding	0us-gaap_PreferredStockValueOutstanding
Common stock, $0.01 par value, authorized 150,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding 39,342,647 shares as of March 31, 2015, 39,186,386 shares as of December 31, 2014 and 39,098,549 shares as of March 31, 2014	393us-gaap_CommonStockValue	392us-gaap_CommonStockValue	391us-gaap_CommonStockValue
Additional paid-in capital	133,962	134,177	126,937
Retained earnings	645,931	659,816	629,443
Total Granite Construction Incorporated shareholders’ equity	780,286us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	794,385us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	756,771us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
Non-controlling interests	22,411us-gaap_MinorityInterest	22,721us-gaap_MinorityInterest	7,960us-gaap_MinorityInterest
Total equity	802,697	817,106	764,731
Total liabilities and equity	$ 1,583,528	$ 1,620,494	$ 1,561,171

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred and payable, pertaining to costs that are statutory in nature, are incurred on contractual obligations, or accumulate over time and for which invoices have not yet been received or will not be rendered. Examples include taxes, interest, rent and utilities. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer), combined with the aggregate carrying amount, as of the balance sheet date, of current obligations not separately disclosed in the balance sheet due to materiality considerations. Current liabilities are expected to be paid within one year (or the normal operating cycle, if longer).

No definition available.