Separate Financial Information of Subsidiary Guarantors of Indebtedness, Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net income (loss)	$ 80,214	$ 54,037
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	42,165	41,766
Stock-based compensation expense	14,376	6,597
Excess income tax benefit from stock-based compensation	(656)	(356)
Deferred income taxes	15,988	(503)
(Gain) loss on sale of investments	1,786
(Gain) loss on sale of property and equipment	926	(220)
Other long-term liabilities	1,256	17,877
Other non-cash items	1,324	444
Changes in other components of working capital	(300,804)	(130,700)
NET CASH USED IN OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(143,425)	(11,058)
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of property and equipment excluding financed purchases	(37,778)	(39,810)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	5,153	2,551
Proceeds from Sale of Available-for-sale Securities, Debt	44,497
Change in restricted cash	(4,394)	(8,749)
NET CASH PROVIDED (USED) BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	7,478	(46,008)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from debt	993,010	571,285
Repayment of debt	(808,611)	(536,227)
Business acquisition-related payments	(26,430)	(17,716)
Excess income tax benefit from stock-based compensation	656	356
Issuance of common stock and effect of cashless exercise	(1,692)	(786)
Debt issuance costs	(3,681)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	153,252	16,912
Net Increase/(Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	17,305	(40,154)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year	119,923	168,056
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	137,228	127,902
Eliminations
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net income (loss)	(85,073)	(80,944)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	85,073	80,944
Stock-based compensation expense
Excess income tax benefit from stock-based compensation
Deferred income taxes
(Gain) loss on sale of investments
(Gain) loss on sale of property and equipment
Other long-term liabilities
Other non-cash items
Changes in other components of working capital
NET CASH USED IN OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of property and equipment excluding financed purchases
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment
Proceeds from Sale of Available-for-sale Securities, Debt
Change in restricted cash
NET CASH PROVIDED (USED) BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from debt
Repayment of debt
Business acquisition-related payments
Excess income tax benefit from stock-based compensation
Issuance of common stock and effect of cashless exercise
Debt issuance costs
Increase (decrease) in intercompany advances
NET CASH PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Net Increase/(Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period
Tutor Perini Corporation [Member] | Reportable legal entity
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net income (loss)	80,214	54,037
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	5,617	5,341
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(85,073)	(80,944)
Stock-based compensation expense	14,127	6,597
Excess income tax benefit from stock-based compensation	(656)	(356)
Deferred income taxes	4,140	(549)
(Gain) loss on sale of investments	1,786
(Gain) loss on sale of property and equipment	833	(220)
Other long-term liabilities	2,376	18,723
Other non-cash items	1,324	1,468
Changes in other components of working capital	(17,700)	34,877
NET CASH USED IN OPERATING ACTIVITIES	6,988	38,974
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of property and equipment excluding financed purchases	(18,743)	(19,189)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	136	222
Proceeds from Sale of Available-for-sale Securities, Debt	44,497
Change in restricted cash	15,464	6,780
NET CASH PROVIDED (USED) BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	41,354	(12,187)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from debt	952,568	541,544
Repayment of debt	(752,030)	(513,912)
Business acquisition-related payments	(26,430)	(17,716)
Excess income tax benefit from stock-based compensation	656	356
Issuance of common stock and effect of cashless exercise	(1,692)	(786)
Debt issuance costs	(3,681)
Increase (decrease) in intercompany advances	(236,283)	(20,104)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(66,892)	(10,618)
Net Increase/(Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	(18,550)	16,169
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year	88,995	64,663
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	70,445	80,832
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable legal entity
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net income (loss)	74,048	72,678
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	36,345	36,222
Stock-based compensation expense	249
Deferred income taxes	11,848	46
(Gain) loss on sale of property and equipment	93
Other long-term liabilities	(1,120)	(846)
Other non-cash items		(1,024)
Changes in other components of working capital	(286,654)	(123,003)
NET CASH USED IN OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(165,191)	(15,927)
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of property and equipment excluding financed purchases	(19,035)	(20,621)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	5,017	2,329
Change in restricted cash	142	186
NET CASH PROVIDED (USED) BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(13,876)	(18,106)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from debt	40,442	29,741
Repayment of debt	(56,581)	(22,315)
Increase (decrease) in intercompany advances	236,089	(19,966)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	219,950	(12,540)
Net Increase/(Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	40,883	(46,573)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year	18,031	74,385
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	58,914	27,812
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable legal entity
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net income (loss)	11,025	8,266
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	203	203
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries
Stock-based compensation expense
Excess income tax benefit from stock-based compensation
Deferred income taxes
(Gain) loss on sale of investments
(Gain) loss on sale of property and equipment
Other long-term liabilities
Other non-cash items
Changes in other components of working capital	3,550	(42,574)
NET CASH USED IN OPERATING ACTIVITIES	14,778	(34,105)
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of property and equipment excluding financed purchases
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment
Proceeds from Sale of Available-for-sale Securities, Debt
Change in restricted cash	(20,000)	(15,715)
NET CASH PROVIDED (USED) BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(20,000)	(15,715)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from debt
Repayment of debt
Business acquisition-related payments
Excess income tax benefit from stock-based compensation
Issuance of common stock and effect of cashless exercise
Debt issuance costs
Increase (decrease) in intercompany advances	194	40,070
NET CASH PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	194	40,070
Net Increase/(Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	(5,028)	(9,750)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year	12,897	29,008
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	$ 7,869	$ 19,258