CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Noncontrolling Interests [Member]	Total Granite Shareholders' Equity [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Common Stock [Member]
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 871,858	$ 41,905	$ 829,953	$ 712,144	$ 117,422	$ 387
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2012						38,730,665
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income	(44,766)	(8,343)	(36,423)	(36,423)	0	$ 0
Stock units vested	0	0	0	0	(4)	$ 4
Stock units vested (in shares)						359,941
Amortized restricted stock units	13,443	0	13,443	0	13,443	$ 0
Purchase of common stock	(5,902)	0	(5,902)	0	(5,900)	$ (2)
Purchase of common stock (in shares)						(197,313)
Cash dividends on common stock	(20,210)	0	(20,210)	(20,210)	0	$ 0
Net tax on stock-based compensation	419	0	419	0	419	0
Transactions with noncontrolling interests, net	(29,158)	(29,158)	0	0	0	0
Stock options exercised and other	660	0	660	(409)	1,069	$ 0
Stock options exercised and other (in shares)						24,435
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	786,344	4,404	781,940	655,102	126,449	$ 389
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013						38,917,728
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income	35,876	10,530	25,346	25,346	0	$ 0
Stock units vested	4	0	4	0	0	$ 4
Stock units vested (in shares)						378,027
Amortized restricted stock units	11,160	0	11,160	0	11,160	$ 0
Purchase of common stock	(5,187)	0	(5,187)	0	(5,186)	$ (1)
Purchase of common stock (in shares)						(135,028)
Cash dividends on common stock	(20,354)	0	(20,354)	(20,354)	0	$ 0
Net tax on stock-based compensation	1,080	0	1,080	0	1,080	0
Noncontrolling interest from acquisition					0
Transactions with noncontrolling interests, net	7,787	7,787	0	0		0
Stock options exercised and other	396	0	396	(278)	674	$ 0
Stock options exercised and other (in shares)						25,659
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 817,106	22,721	794,385	659,816	134,177	$ 392
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014	39,186,386					39,186,386
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income	$ 68,248	7,763	60,485		0	$ 0
Stock units vested	3	0	3	0	0	$ 3
Stock units vested (in shares)						317,524
Amortized restricted stock units	8,763	0	8,763	0	8,763	$ 0
Purchase of common stock	(3,856)	0	(3,856)	0	(3,855)	$ (1)
Purchase of common stock (in shares)						(114,969)
Cash dividends on common stock	(20,476)	0	(20,476)	(20,476)	0	$ 0
Net tax on stock-based compensation	155	0	155	0	155	0
Transactions with noncontrolling interests, net	400	400	0	0	0	0
Stock options exercised and other	(222)	0	(222)	(394)	172	$ 0
Stock options exercised and other (in shares)						23,936
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 870,121	$ 30,884	$ 839,237	$ 699,431	$ 139,412	$ 394
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015	39,412,877					39,412,877