Separate Financial Information of Subsidiary Guarantors of Indebtedness (Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
REVENUE	$ 1,200,830	$ 1,340,739	$ 1,312,438	$ 1,066,465	$ 1,201,877	$ 1,250,689	$ 1,084,510	$ 955,233	$ 4,920,472	$ 4,492,309	$ 4,175,672
COST OF OPERATIONS									(4,564,219)	(3,986,867)	(3,708,768)
GROSS PROFIT	66,673	100,201	98,620	90,759	129,723	140,841	129,531	105,347	356,253	505,442	466,904
General and administrative expenses									(250,840)	(263,752)	(263,082)
INCOME FROM CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS	15,474	38,974	30,881	20,084	64,396	70,354	65,443	41,497	105,413	241,690	203,822
Other income (expense), net									12,453	(9,536)	(18,575)
Interest expense									(44,027)	(44,716)	(45,632)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES	11,687	33,955	19,992	8,205	53,917	58,616	47,612	27,293	73,839	187,438	139,615
Provision for Income Taxes									(28,547)	(79,502)	(52,319)
NET INCOME	$ 8,712	$ 19,677	$ 11,777	$ 5,126	$ 27,722	$ 35,730	$ 28,545	$ 15,939	45,292	107,936	87,296
Other Comprehensive Income:
Change in pension benefit plans assets/liabilities									2,026	(8,155)	10,910
Foreign currency translation									(3,214)	(638)	(738)
Change in fair value of investments									766	205	(555)
Change in fair value of interest rate swap									(125)	349	578
Total other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax									(547)	(8,239)	10,195
TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE INCOME									44,745	99,697	97,491
Eliminations [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
REVENUE									(262,527)	(156,776)	179,624
COST OF OPERATIONS									262,527	156,776	(179,624)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									(23,367)	(95,501)	(122,875)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES									(23,367)	(95,501)	(122,875)
NET INCOME									(23,367)	(95,501)	(122,875)
Other Comprehensive Income:
Other comprehensive income of subsidiaries									2,448	433	1,293
Total other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax									2,448	433	1,293
TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE INCOME									(20,919)	(95,068)	(121,582)
Tutor Perini Corporation [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
REVENUE									1,064,723	959,010	680,440
COST OF OPERATIONS									(918,322)	(808,285)	(590,675)
GROSS PROFIT									146,401	150,725	89,765
General and administrative expenses									(77,806)	(80,151)	(77,507)
INCOME FROM CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS									68,595	70,574	12,258
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									23,367	95,501	122,875
Other income (expense), net									8,155	(8,322)	(27,162)
Interest expense									(41,007)	(40,658)	(41,987)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES									59,110	117,095	65,984
Provision for Income Taxes									(13,818)	(9,159)	21,312
NET INCOME									45,292	107,936	87,296
Other Comprehensive Income:
Other comprehensive income of subsidiaries									(2,448)	(433)	(1,293)
Change in pension benefit plans assets/liabilities									2,026	(8,155)	10,910
Change in fair value of interest rate swap									(125)	349	578
Total other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax									(547)	(8,239)	10,195
TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE INCOME									44,745	99,697	97,491
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
REVENUE									4,104,871	3,690,075	3,315,608
COST OF OPERATIONS									(3,908,424)	(3,353,098)	(2,960,569)
GROSS PROFIT									196,447	336,977	355,039
General and administrative expenses									(171,153)	(181,714)	(183,723)
INCOME FROM CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS									25,294	155,263	171,316
Other income (expense), net									3,745	(1,705)	8,075
Interest expense									(3,020)	(4,058)	(3,645)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES									26,019	149,500	175,746
Provision for Income Taxes									(10,060)	(63,411)	(65,852)
NET INCOME									15,959	86,089	109,894
Other Comprehensive Income:
Foreign currency translation									(3,214)	(638)	(738)
Change in fair value of investments									766	205	(555)
Total other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax									(2,448)	(433)	(1,293)
TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE INCOME									13,511	85,656	108,601
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
REVENUE									13,405
COST OF OPERATIONS										17,740	22,100
GROSS PROFIT									13,405	17,740	22,100
General and administrative expenses									(1,881)	(1,887)	(1,852)
INCOME FROM CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS									11,524	15,853	20,248
Other income (expense), net									553	491	512
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES									12,077	16,344	20,760
Provision for Income Taxes									(4,669)	(6,932)	(7,779)
NET INCOME									7,408	9,412	12,981
Other Comprehensive Income:
TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE INCOME									$ 7,408	$ 9,412	$ 12,981