Separate Financial Information of Subsidiary Guarantors of Indebtedness, Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Ownership interest in guarantors (as a percent)	100.00%
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$ 137,228	$ 119,923	$ 127,902	$ 168,056
Restricted Cash	46,988	42,594
Accounts Receivable	1,580,594	1,291,246
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	720,177	573,248
Deferred Income Taxes	7,951	8,240
Other Current Assets	69,318	50,669
Total current assets	2,562,256	2,085,920
Long-term Investments		46,283
Property and Equipment, net	526,981	498,125
Other Assets:
Goodwill	585,006	577,756
Intangible Assets, net	103,329	113,740
Other	57,948	75,614
Total assets	3,835,520	3,397,438
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Maturities of Long-term Debt	65,407	114,658
Accounts Payable	863,643	758,225
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	327,646	267,586
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	145,336	158,017
Total current liabilities	1,402,032	1,298,486
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	880,121	619,226
Deferred Income Taxes	115,325	114,333
Other Long-term Liabilities	97,115	117,858
Stockholders' Equity	1,340,927	1,247,535
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,835,520	3,397,438
Eliminations
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Accounts Receivable	(108,602)	(90,951)
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	(11,591)	(32,662)
Deferred Income Taxes	(7,626)	(7,626)
Other Current Assets	(89,812)	(37,632)
Total current assets	(217,631)	(168,871)
Intercompany Notes and Receivables	(102,889)	(428,190)
Other Assets:
Investment in Subsidiaries	(2,165,846)	(2,181,359)
Other	(5,385)	(5,183)
Total assets	(2,491,751)	(2,783,603)
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts Payable	(92,034)	(88,103)
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	(3,147)
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	(88,271)	(47,841)
Total current liabilities	(183,452)	(135,944)
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	(40,385)	(40,183)
Intercompany Notes and Advances Payable	(102,240)	(445,910)
Stockholders' Equity	(2,165,674)	(2,161,566)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	(2,491,751)	(2,783,603)
Tutor Perini Corporation [Member] | Reportable legal entity
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	70,445	88,995	80,832	64,663
Restricted Cash	3,369	18,833
Accounts Receivable	382,369	208,227
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	65,139	99,779
Other Current Assets	74,481	37,605
Total current assets	595,803	453,439
Long-term Investments		46,283
Property and Equipment, net	91,585	77,562
Other Assets:
Investment in Subsidiaries	2,146,278	2,181,280
Other	54,503	70,269
Total assets	2,888,169	2,828,833
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Maturities of Long-term Debt	21,079	50,578
Accounts Payable	215,966	162,292
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	158,148	90,267
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	77,902	58,232
Total current liabilities	473,095	361,369
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	805,592	575,356
Deferred Income Taxes	107,411	107,448
Other Long-term Liabilities	95,054	114,677
Intercompany Notes and Advances Payable	66,091	422,448
Stockholders' Equity	1,340,926	1,247,535
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,888,169	2,828,833
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable legal entity
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	58,914	18,031	27,812	74,385
Restricted Cash	7,898	8,040
Accounts Receivable	1,265,389	1,126,012
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	666,477	505,979
Deferred Income Taxes	15,577	15,866
Other Current Assets	52,683	26,234
Total current assets	2,066,938	1,700,162
Property and Equipment, net	431,029	415,993
Intercompany Notes and Receivables	102,889	428,190
Other Assets:
Goodwill	585,006	577,756
Intangible Assets, net	103,329	113,740
Investment in Subsidiaries	19,518	29
Other	8,830	10,528
Total assets	3,317,539	3,246,398
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Maturities of Long-term Debt	44,328	64,080
Accounts Payable	735,776	677,997
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	172,611	177,285
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	100,698	99,257
Total current liabilities	1,053,413	1,018,619
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	114,914	84,053
Deferred Income Taxes	7,914	6,885
Other Long-term Liabilities	2,061	3,181
Stockholders' Equity	2,139,237	2,133,660
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,317,539	3,246,398
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable legal entity
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	7,869	12,897	19,258	29,008
Restricted Cash	35,721	15,721
Accounts Receivable	41,438	47,958
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	152	152
Other Current Assets	31,966	24,462
Total current assets	117,146	101,190
Property and Equipment, net	4,367	4,570
Other Assets:
Investment in Subsidiaries	50	50
Total assets	121,563	105,810
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts Payable	3,935	6,039
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	34	34
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	55,007	48,369
Total current liabilities	58,976	54,442
Intercompany Notes and Advances Payable	36,149	23,462
Stockholders' Equity	26,438	27,906
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 121,563	$ 105,810
Senior unsecured notes [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)	7.625%