Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2022	Sep. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2022	Mar. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Sep. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2021	Mar. 31, 2021	Jun. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2022	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Revenue
Total revenue	$ 789,213	$ 1,008,910	$ 849,247	$ 653,886	$ 805,651	$ 1,062,129	$ 964,172	$ 669,913	$ 1,503,133	$ 2,512,043	$ 3,301,256	$ 3,501,865	$ 3,562,459
Cost of revenue
Total cost of revenue		893,855	751,681	593,794					1,345,475	2,239,330	2,931,762	3,139,220	3,217,671
Gross profit	96,781	115,055	97,566	60,092	62,446	119,935	116,946	63,318	157,658	272,713	369,494	362,645	344,788
Selling, general and administrative expenses		61,795	60,121	70,120					130,241	192,036	272,610	303,015	316,284
Non-cash impairment charges (see Note 1)											0	0	156,690
Other costs, net (See Note 1)		(490)	16,612	6,279					22,891	22,401	24,120	101,351	37,089
Gain on sales of property and equipment, net (see Note 11)		(949)	(8,915)	(598)					(9,513)	(10,462)	(12,617)	(66,439)	(6,930)
Operating income (loss)		54,699	29,748	(15,709)					14,039	68,738	85,381	24,718	(158,345)
Other (income) expense
Interest income		(1,894)	(782)	(570)					(1,352)	(3,246)	(6,528)	(1,176)	(3,096)
Interest expense		2,519	3,899	3,585					7,484	10,003	12,624	20,739	24,200
Equity in income of affiliates, net		(3,491)	(4,876)	(1,289)					(6,165)	(9,656)	(13,571)	(12,586)	(8,783)
Other (income) expense, net		(77)	(3,261)	(1,308)					(4,569)	(4,646)	1,039	(4,386)	(4,203)
Total other (income) expense, net		(2,789)	1,502	3,034					4,536	1,747	(6,436)	2,591	8,118
Income (loss) before income taxes		57,488	28,246	(18,743)					9,503	66,991	91,817	22,127	(166,463)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes		(7,710)	8,668	6,352					15,020	7,310	12,960	19,713	(282)
Net income (loss)	19,176	65,198	19,578	(25,095)	(20,433)	32,423	55,747	(65,323)	(5,517)	59,681	78,857	2,414	(166,181)
Amount attributable to non-controlling interests		4,104	(897)	(1,638)					(2,535)	1,569	4,445	7,682	21,064
Net income (loss) attributable to Granite Construction Incorporated	$ 22,052	$ 69,302	$ 18,681	$ (26,733)	$ (13,213)	$ 35,043	$ 54,461	$ (66,195)	$ (8,052)	$ 61,250	$ 83,302	$ 10,096	$ (145,117)
Net income per share attributable to common shareholders (see Note 18):
Basic earnings (loss) per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.50	$ 1.58	$ 0.42	$ (0.58)	$ (0.29)	$ 0.76	$ 1.19	$ (1.45)	$ (0.18)	$ 1.37	$ 1.87	$ 0.22	$ (3.18)
Diluted earnings (loss) per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.46	$ 1.36	$ 0.39	$ (0.58)	$ (0.29)	$ 0.73	$ 1.14	$ (1.45)	$ (0.18)	$ 1.25	$ 1.70	$ 0.21	$ (3.18)
Basic (in shares)		43,973	44,534	45,730					45,128	44,739	44,485	45,788	45,614
Diluted (in shares)		51,863	52,295	45,730					45,128	52,613	52,326	47,599	45,614
Construction [Member]
Revenue
Total revenue		$ 847,371	$ 713,221	$ 578,266					$ 1,291,487	$ 2,138,858	$ 2,803,935	$ 3,076,190	$ 3,181,697
Cost of revenue
Total cost of revenue		754,354	632,969	519,787					1,152,756	1,907,110	2,500,054	2,772,962	2,901,528
Materials [Member]
Revenue
Total revenue		161,539	136,026	75,620					211,646	373,185	497,321	425,675	380,762
Cost of revenue
Total cost of revenue		$ 139,501	$ 118,712	$ 74,007					$ 192,719	$ 332,220	$ 431,708	$ 366,258	$ 316,143