Business Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	$ 630,162	$ 751,376	$ 569,242	$ 420,249	$ 589,789	$ 719,764	$ 585,870	$ 379,847	$ 2,371,029	$ 2,275,270	$ 2,266,901
Gross profit	102,008	96,253	65,045	40,052	73,726	66,292	80,729	21,499	303,358	242,247	177,177
Segment assets	1,627,860				1,600,048				1,627,860	1,600,048	1,609,362
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Gross profit	102,008	$ 96,253	$ 65,045	$ 40,052	73,726	$ 66,292	$ 80,729	$ 21,499	303,358	242,247	177,177
Selling, general and administrative expenses									207,339	195,762	191,860
Total restructuring and impairment (gains) charges, net									(6,003)	(2,643)	52,139
Gain on sales of property and equipment									(8,286)	(15,972)	(12,130)
Other expense (income), net									6,881	9,503	9,337
Income (loss) before provision for (benefit from) income taxes									103,427	55,597	(64,029)
Cash and cash equivalents	252,836				255,961				252,836	255,961	229,121	$ 321,990
Receivables, net	340,822				310,934				340,822	310,934
Other current assets	26,709				23,033				26,709	23,033
Property and equipment, net	385,129				409,653				385,129	409,653
Other noncurrent assets	85,547				77,940				85,547	77,940
Construction [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									1,262,675	1,186,445	1,251,197
Large Project Construction [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									812,720	825,044	777,811
Construction Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									295,634	263,781	237,893
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									2,507,679	2,396,881	2,401,290
Gross profit									303,358	242,247	177,177
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									52,849	57,314	60,852
Segment assets	703,274				704,711				703,274	704,711	697,099
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Gross profit									303,358	242,247	177,177
Operating Segments [Member] | Construction [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									1,262,675	1,186,445	1,251,197
Gross profit									190,190	115,037	102,292
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									20,117	19,141	26,228
Segment assets	139,399				149,018				139,399	149,018	148,459
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Gross profit									190,190	115,037	102,292
Operating Segments [Member] | Large Project Construction [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									812,720	825,044	777,811
Gross profit									80,012	107,662	67,457
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									10,343	16,197	11,679
Segment assets	274,975				248,464				274,975	248,464	222,584
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Gross profit									80,012	107,662	67,457
Operating Segments [Member] | Construction Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									432,284	385,392	372,282
Gross profit									33,156	19,548	7,428
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									22,389	21,976	22,945
Segment assets	288,900				307,229				288,900	307,229	326,056
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Gross profit									33,156	19,548	7,428
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									(136,650)	(121,611)	(134,389)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Construction [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									0	0	0
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Large Project Construction [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									0	0	0
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Construction Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									(136,650)	(121,611)	(134,389)
Segment Reconciling Items [Member]
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents					255,961					255,961	229,121
Short-term and long-term marketable securities					102,067					102,067	117,202
Receivables, net					310,934					310,934	313,598
Deferred income taxes	4,329				32,785				4,329	32,785
Other current assets	85,779				60,615				85,779	60,615	65,674
Property and equipment, net	36,721				45,188				36,721	45,188	54,330
Other noncurrent assets	$ 98,404				$ 87,787				98,404	87,787	84,257
Enterprise Improvement Plan [Member]
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Restructuring and impairment (gains) charges, net									(6,003)	(1,283)	48,975
Quarry property [Member] | Restructuring Type, Non-performing Quarry Sites [Member] | Enterprise Improvement Plan [Member]
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Restructuring and impairment (gains) charges, net										$ 0	$ 14,651
Quarry property [Member] | Restructuring Type, Non-performing Quarry Sites [Member] | Enterprise Improvement Plan [Member] | Construction Materials [Member]
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Restructuring and impairment (gains) charges, net									$ (1,044)