Separate Financial Information of Subsidiary Guarantors of Indebtedness (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Ownership interest in guarantors (as a percent)	100.00%
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 75,452	$ 135,583	$ 119,923	$ 168,056
Restricted cash	45,853	44,370
Accounts receivable	1,473,615	1,479,504
Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings	905,175	726,402
Deferred income taxes	26,306	17,962
Other current assets	108,844	68,735
Total current assets	$ 2,635,245	$ 2,472,556
Long-term investments
Property and equipment, net	$ 523,525	$ 527,602
Other assets:
Goodwill	585,006	585,006	577,756
Intangible assets, net	96,540	100,254
Other	202,125	87,897
TOTAL ASSETS	4,042,441	3,773,315
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current maturities of long-term debt	88,917	81,292
Accounts payable	937,464	798,174
Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings	288,311	319,296
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	159,016	159,814
Total current liabilities	1,473,708	1,358,576
Long-term debt, less current maturities	734,531	784,067
Deferred income taxes	273,310	150,371
Other long-term liabilities	$ 140,665	$ 114,796
Contingencies and commitments
Stockholders' Equity	$ 1,420,227	$ 1,365,505	1,247,535	1,143,864
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY	4,042,441	3,773,315
Eliminations [Member]
ASSETS
Accounts receivable	(146,745)	(103,622)
Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings	(77,583)	(44,456)
Deferred income taxes		2,323
Other current assets	(11,419)	(37,608)
Total current assets	$ (235,747)	$ (183,363)
Long-term investments
Intercompany notes and receivables	$ (148,637)	$ (122,401)
Other assets:
Investment in subsidiaries	(1,962,983)	(2,174,131)
Other	(5,723)	(5,453)
TOTAL ASSETS	(2,353,090)	(2,485,348)
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current maturities of long-term debt	(60,000)
Accounts payable	(167,705)	(109,384)
Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings	(5,711)	(8,203)
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	(2,331)	(26,952)
Total current liabilities	(235,747)	(144,539)
Long-term debt, less current maturities	(5,723)	(40,453)
Intercompany notes and advances payable	$ (148,637)	$ (125,992)
Contingencies and commitments
Stockholders' Equity	$ (1,962,983)	$ (2,174,363)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY	(2,353,090)	(2,485,347)
Tutor Perini Corporation [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	47,196	75,087	88,995	64,663
Restricted cash	3,369	3,369
Accounts receivable	358,437	299,427
Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings	114,580	70,344
Deferred income taxes	2,255
Other current assets	60,119	39,196
Total current assets	$ 585,956	$ 487,423
Long-term investments
Property and equipment, net	$ 105,306	$ 92,413
Other assets:
Investment in subsidiaries	1,962,983	2,154,562
Other	64,486	83,503
TOTAL ASSETS	2,718,731	2,817,901
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current maturities of long-term debt	107,283	34,776
Accounts payable	211,679	186,958
Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings	89,303	139,020
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	6,145	33,018
Total current liabilities	414,410	393,772
Long-term debt, less current maturities	659,433	712,460
Deferred income taxes		142,457
Other long-term liabilities	106,588	112,899
Intercompany notes and advances payable	$ 118,073	$ 90,373
Contingencies and commitments
Stockholders' Equity	$ 1,420,227	$ 1,365,939
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY	2,718,731	2,817,900
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	26,892	36,764	18,031	74,385
Restricted cash	3,283	5,274
Accounts receivable	1,179,919	1,246,635
Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings	868,026	700,362
Deferred income taxes	21,356	15,639
Other current assets	48,482	42,750
Total current assets	$ 2,147,958	$ 2,047,424
Long-term investments
Property and equipment, net	$ 414,143	$ 430,876
Intercompany notes and receivables	148,637	122,401
Other assets:
Goodwill	585,006	585,006
Intangible assets, net	96,540	100,254
Investment in subsidiaries		19,519
Other	128,094	9,847
TOTAL ASSETS	3,520,378	3,315,327
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current maturities of long-term debt	41,634	46,516
Accounts payable	890,268	716,851
Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings	203,003	185,807
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	115,392	95,177
Total current liabilities	1,250,297	1,044,351
Long-term debt, less current maturities	80,821	112,060
Deferred income taxes	273,310	7,914
Other long-term liabilities	$ 3,278	$ 1,897
Contingencies and commitments
Stockholders' Equity	$ 1,912,672	$ 2,149,105
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY	3,520,378	3,315,327
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	1,364	23,732	$ 12,897	$ 29,008
Restricted cash	39,201	35,727
Accounts receivable	82,004	37,064
Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings	152	152
Deferred income taxes	2,695
Other current assets	11,662	24,397
Total current assets	$ 137,078	$ 121,072
Long-term investments
Property and equipment, net	$ 4,076	$ 4,313
Other assets:
Investment in subsidiaries		50
Other	15,268
TOTAL ASSETS	156,422	125,435
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts payable	3,222	3,749
Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings	1,716	2,672
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	39,810	58,571
Total current liabilities	44,748	64,992
Other long-term liabilities	30,799
Intercompany notes and advances payable	$ 30,564	$ 35,619
Contingencies and commitments
Stockholders' Equity	$ 50,311	$ 24,824
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY	$ 156,422	$ 125,435
Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)	7.625%
Maturity date	Nov. 01, 2018