Separate Financial Information of Subsidiary Guarantors of Indebtedness (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Ownership interest in guarantors (as a percent)	100.00%
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 135,583	$ 119,923	$ 168,056	$ 204,240
Restricted cash	44,370	42,594
Accounts receivable, including retainage	1,479,504	1,291,246
Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings	726,402	573,248
Deferred income taxes	17,962	8,240
Other current assets	68,735	50,669
Total current assets	2,472,556	2,085,920
Long-term investments		46,283
Property and equipment, net	527,602	498,125
Other assets:
Goodwill	585,006	577,756	570,646	1,058,631
Intangible assets, net	100,254	113,740
Other	87,897	75,614
Total assets	3,773,315	3,397,438	3,296,410
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current maturities of long-term debt	81,292	114,658
Accounts payable, including retainage	798,174	758,225
Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings	319,296	267,586
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	159,814	158,017
Total current liabilities	1,358,576	1,298,486
Long-term debt, less current maturities	784,067	619,226
Deferred income taxes	150,371	114,333
Other long-term liabilities	114,796	117,858
Contingencies and commitments
Stockholders' Equity	1,365,505	1,247,535	1,143,864	1,399,827
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,773,315	3,397,438
Eliminations [Member]
ASSETS
Accounts receivable, including retainage	(103,622)	(90,951)
Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings	(44,456)	(32,662)
Deferred income taxes	2,323	(7,626)
Other current assets	(37,608)	(37,632)
Total current assets	(183,363)	(168,871)
Intercompany notes and receivables	(122,401)	(428,190)
Other assets:
Investment in subsidiaries	(2,174,131)	(2,181,359)
Other	(5,453)	(5,183)
Total assets	(2,485,348)	(2,783,603)
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts payable, including retainage	(109,384)	(88,103)
Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings	(8,203)
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	(26,952)	(47,841)
Total current liabilities	(144,539)	(135,944)
Long-term debt, less current maturities	(40,453)	(40,183)
Intercompany notes and advances payable	(125,992)	(445,910)
Contingencies and commitments
Stockholders' Equity	(2,174,363)	(2,161,566)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	(2,485,347)	(2,783,603)
Tutor Perini Corporation [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	75,087	88,995	64,663	134,936
Restricted cash	3,369	18,833
Accounts receivable, including retainage	299,427	208,227
Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings	70,344	99,779
Other current assets	39,196	37,605
Total current assets	487,423	453,439
Long-term investments		46,283
Property and equipment, net	92,413	77,562
Other assets:
Investment in subsidiaries	2,154,562	2,181,280
Other	83,503	70,269
Total assets	2,817,901	2,828,833
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current maturities of long-term debt	34,776	50,578
Accounts payable, including retainage	186,958	162,292
Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings	139,020	90,267
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	33,018	58,232
Total current liabilities	393,772	361,369
Long-term debt, less current maturities	712,460	575,356
Deferred income taxes	142,457	107,448
Other long-term liabilities	112,899	114,677
Intercompany notes and advances payable	90,373	422,448
Contingencies and commitments
Stockholders' Equity	1,365,939	1,247,535
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,817,900	2,828,833
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	36,764	18,031	74,385	52,492
Restricted cash	5,274	8,040
Accounts receivable, including retainage	1,246,635	1,126,012
Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings	700,362	505,979
Deferred income taxes	15,639	15,866
Other current assets	42,750	26,234
Total current assets	2,047,424	1,700,162
Property and equipment, net	430,876	415,993
Intercompany notes and receivables	122,401	428,190
Other assets:
Goodwill	585,006	577,756
Intangible assets, net	100,254	113,740
Investment in subsidiaries	19,519	29
Other	9,847	10,528
Total assets	3,315,327	3,246,398
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current maturities of long-term debt	46,516	64,080
Accounts payable, including retainage	716,851	677,997
Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings	185,807	177,285
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	95,177	99,257
Total current liabilities	1,044,351	1,018,619
Long-term debt, less current maturities	112,060	84,053
Deferred income taxes	7,914	6,885
Other long-term liabilities	1,897	3,181
Contingencies and commitments
Stockholders' Equity	2,149,105	2,133,660
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,315,327	3,246,398
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	23,732	12,897	29,008	16,812
Restricted cash	35,727	15,721
Accounts receivable, including retainage	37,064	47,958
Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings	152	152
Other current assets	24,397	24,462
Total current assets	121,072	101,190
Property and equipment, net	4,313	4,570
Other assets:
Investment in subsidiaries	50	50
Total assets	125,435	105,810
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts payable, including retainage	3,749	6,039
Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings	2,672	34
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	58,571	48,369
Total current liabilities	64,992	54,442
Intercompany notes and advances payable	35,619	23,462
Contingencies and commitments
Stockholders' Equity	24,824	27,906
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 125,435	$ 105,810
Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)	7.625%	7.625%