Business Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Construction	$ 226,849	$ 209,487
Large Project Construction	207,033	195,449
Construction Materials	34,518	34,516
Total revenue	468,400	439,452
Gross profit (loss)	(25,126)	(39,245)
Assets	1,678,219	1,612,230	$ 1,733,453
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Gross profit (loss)	(25,126)	(39,245)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	61,837	56,133
Gain on sales of property and equipment	(270)	(600)
Other income (expense), net	(94)	(601)
Loss before benefit from income taxes	(36,347)	(15,687)
Construction [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Construction	226,849	209,487
Large Project Construction [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Large Project Construction	207,033	195,449
Construction Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Construction Materials	34,518	34,516
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from reportable segments	482,504	453,867
Gross profit (loss)	(25,126)	(39,245)
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction	12,078	11,331
Assets	746,581	734,470
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Gross profit (loss)	(25,126)	(39,245)
Operating Segments [Member] \| Construction [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from reportable segments	226,849	209,487
Gross profit (loss)	(27,949)	(26,933)
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction	4,994	4,525
Assets	149,882	141,354
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Gross profit (loss)	(27,949)	(26,933)
Operating Segments [Member] \| Large Project Construction [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from reportable segments	207,033	195,449
Gross profit (loss)	(2,555)	(13,505)
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction	1,886	1,469
Assets	306,804	297,489
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Gross profit (loss)	(2,555)	(13,505)
Operating Segments [Member] \| Construction Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from reportable segments	48,622	48,931
Gross profit (loss)	5,378	1,193
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction	5,198	5,337
Assets	289,895	295,627
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Gross profit (loss)	5,378	1,193
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Elimination of Intersegment Revenue	(14,104)	(14,415)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] \| Construction [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Elimination of Intersegment Revenue	0	0
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] \| Large Project Construction [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Elimination of Intersegment Revenue	0	0
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] \| Construction Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Elimination of Intersegment Revenue	$ (14,104)	$ (14,415)

Elimination of Intersegment Revenue

No definition available.

Name:	gva_EliminationofIntersegmentRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	gva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Revenue earned during the period arising from products sold or services provided under the terms of a contract, not elsewhere specified in the taxonomy. May include government contracts, construction contracts, and any other contract related to a particular project or product and focuses on large, complex projects which are long-term in nature.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gva_LargeProjectConstruction
Namespace Prefix:	gva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total Other Income (Expense)

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gva_TotalOtherIncomeExpense
Namespace Prefix:	gva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of all assets that are recognized. Assets are probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by an entity as a result of past transactions or events.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(12))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(11))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Assets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of revenue earned from products sold or services provided under the terms of a contract, including, but not limited to, government contracts and construction contracts, classified as other.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractsRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The current period expense charged against earnings on long-lived, physical assets not used in production, and which are not intended for resale, to allocate or recognize the cost of such assets over their useful lives; or to record the reduction in book value of an intangible asset over the benefit period of such asset; or to reflect consumption during the period of an asset that is not used in production.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of property, plant and equipment assets, excluding oil and gas property and timber property.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 205
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64827811&loc=d3e1361-107760

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64862545&loc=d3e2941-110230

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate revenue less cost of goods and services sold or operating expenses directly attributable to the revenue generation activity.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GrossProfit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of income (loss) from continuing operations, including income (loss) from equity method investments, before deduction of income tax expense (benefit), and income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 940
-SubTopic 20
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68072869&loc=d3e41242-110953

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03(10))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 225
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04(15))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 225
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04(8))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReconciliationFromSegmentTotalsToConsolidatedAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Revenues
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate revenue during the period from the sale of goods in the normal course of business, after deducting returns, allowances and discounts.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate total costs related to selling a firm's product and services, as well as all other general and administrative expenses. Direct selling expenses (for example, credit, warranty, and advertising) are expenses that can be directly linked to the sale of specific products. Indirect selling expenses are expenses that cannot be directly linked to the sale of specific products, for example telephone expenses, Internet, and postal charges. General and administrative expenses include salaries of non-sales personnel, rent, utilities, communication, etc.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 330
-SubTopic 10
-Section 30
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68048583&loc=d3e3636-108311

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=gva_ConstructionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=gva_LargeProjectConstructionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=gva_ConstructionMaterialsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_IntersegmentEliminationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: