Significant Accounting Policies (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($) segment $ / shares
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Income from construction operations	$ 38,974		$ 70,354	$ 89,939	$ 177,294
Net income	$ 19,677		$ 35,730	$ 36,580	$ 80,214
Diluted earnings per common share (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 0.40		$ 0.73	$ 0.74	$ 1.64
Civil Segment Runway Reconstruction Project [Member]
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Income from construction operations	$ 13,700
Net income	$ 7,900
Diluted earnings per common share (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 0.16
Building Segment Project [Member]
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Income from construction operations		$ 14,700
Net income		$ 8,700
Diluted earnings per common share (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 0.17
Changes In Estimates [Member]
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Number of Civil segment projects | segment					2
Income from construction operations			$ 15,800		$ 30,600
Net income			$ 9,500		$ 18,300
Diluted earnings per common share (in dollars per share) | $ / shares			$ 0.19		$ 0.37
Changes In Estimates [Member] | Building Segment Project [Member]
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Income from construction operations			$ 14,100
Changes In Estimates [Member] | Civil Segment Project One [Member]
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Income from construction operations					$ 25,900
Changes In Estimates [Member] | Civil Segment Project Two [Member]
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Income from construction operations					(9,400)
Tutor Perini Corporation [Member]
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Income from construction operations	$ 32,132		7,812	$ 52,355	34,132
Net income	19,677		$ 35,730	$ 36,580	$ 80,214
Brightwater Matter [Member]
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Income from construction operations	(23,900)
Net income	$ (14,000)
Diluted earnings per common share (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ (0.28)