<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2022-06-10</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000861459</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GRANITE CONSTRUCTION INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GVA</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001267185</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LYASH JEFFREY J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>585 WEST BEACH STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WATSONVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95076</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2022-06-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3508</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>13641</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Restricted stock units granted pursuant to the Granite Construction Incorporated 2021 Equity Incentive Plan. Restricted stock units vest on May 20, 2023.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Total adjusted to include dividend equivalents (DEUs: 8 - 7/15/21; 8 - 10/15/21; 9  - 1/14/22; 10 - 4/15/22) credited to the Reporting Person under the dividend reinvestment feature of the Granite Construction Incorporated's equity plans since the Reporting Person's last report.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Betty Kwong, attorney-in-fact for Jeffrey J. Lyash</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2022-06-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
