Separate Financial Information of Subsidiary Guarantors of Indebtedness, Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net income (loss)	$ 19,677	$ 35,730	$ 36,580	$ 80,214
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization			32,528	42,165
Stock-based compensation expense			17,064	14,376
Excess income tax benefit from stock-based compensation			(186)	(656)
Deferred income taxes			6,366	15,988
(Gain) loss on sale of investments				1,786
(Gain) loss on sale of property and equipment			(821)	926
Other long-term liabilities			(1,379)	1,256
Other non-cash items			(5,692)	1,324
Changes in other components of working capital			(63,786)	(300,804)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES			20,674	(143,425)
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of property and equipment excluding financed purchases			(33,365)	(37,778)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment			2,220	5,153
Proceeds from sale of available-for-sale securities				44,497
Change in restricted cash			5,798	(4,394)
NET CASH (USED BY) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES			(25,347)	7,478
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from debt			672,719	993,010
Repayment of debt			(706,113)	(808,611)
Business acquisition related payments				(26,430)
Excess income tax benefit from stock-based compensation			186	656
Issuance of common stock and effect of cashless exercise			(808)	(1,692)
Debt issuance costs				(3,681)
NET CASH (USED IN) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES			(34,016)	153,252
Net (Decrease) Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents			(38,689)	17,305
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year			135,583	119,923
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	96,894	137,228	96,894	137,228
Eliminations [Member]
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net income (loss)	(4,186)	(38,044)	(22,712)	(85,073)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities:
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	4,186	38,044	22,712	85,073
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Increase (decrease) in intercompany advances			127,690
NET CASH (USED BY) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES			127,690
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Increase (decrease) in intercompany advances			(127,690)
NET CASH (USED IN) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES			(127,690)
Tutor Perini Corporation [Member]
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net income (loss)	19,677	35,730	36,580	80,214
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization			8,279	5,617
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(4,186)	(38,044)	(22,712)	(85,073)
Stock-based compensation expense			17,064	14,127
Excess income tax benefit from stock-based compensation			(186)	(656)
Deferred income taxes			(2,323)	4,140
(Gain) loss on sale of investments				1,786
(Gain) loss on sale of property and equipment			79	833
Other long-term liabilities			(1,480)	2,376
Other non-cash items			(4,856)	1,324
Changes in other components of working capital			(144,093)	(17,700)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES			(113,648)	6,988
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of property and equipment excluding financed purchases			(21,406)	(18,743)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment				136
Proceeds from sale of available-for-sale securities				44,497
Change in restricted cash				15,464
NET CASH (USED BY) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES			(21,406)	41,354
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from debt			678,622	952,568
Repayment of debt			(679,353)	(752,030)
Business acquisition related payments				(26,430)
Excess income tax benefit from stock-based compensation			186	656
Issuance of common stock and effect of cashless exercise			(808)	(1,692)
Debt issuance costs				(3,681)
Increase (decrease) in intercompany advances			125,636	(236,283)
NET CASH (USED IN) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES			124,283	(66,892)
Net (Decrease) Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents			(10,771)	(18,550)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year			75,087	88,995
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	64,316	70,445	64,316	70,445
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net income (loss)	1,374	35,533	16,065	74,048
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization			24,042	36,345
Stock-based compensation expense				249
Deferred income taxes			10,450	11,848
(Gain) loss on sale of property and equipment			(900)	93
Other long-term liabilities			101	(1,120)
Other non-cash items			(836)
Changes in other components of working capital			114,658	(286,654)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES			163,580	(165,191)
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of property and equipment excluding financed purchases			(11,919)	(19,035)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment			2,220	5,017
Increase (decrease) in intercompany advances			(127,690)
Change in restricted cash			1,266	142
NET CASH (USED BY) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES			(136,123)	(13,876)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from debt			(5,903)	40,442
Repayment of debt			(26,760)	(56,581)
Increase (decrease) in intercompany advances				236,089
NET CASH (USED IN) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES			(32,663)	219,950
Net (Decrease) Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents			(5,206)	40,883
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year			36,764	18,031
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	31,558	58,914	31,558	58,914
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net income (loss)	2,812	2,511	6,647	11,025
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization			207	203
Deferred income taxes			(1,761)
Changes in other components of working capital			(34,351)	3,550
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES			(29,258)	14,778
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of property and equipment excluding financed purchases			(40)
Change in restricted cash			4,532	(20,000)
NET CASH (USED BY) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES			4,492	(20,000)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Increase (decrease) in intercompany advances			2,054	194
NET CASH (USED IN) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES			2,054	194
Net (Decrease) Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents			(22,712)	(5,028)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year			23,732	12,897
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	$ 1,020	$ 7,869	$ 1,020	$ 7,869