Separate Financial Information of Subsidiary Guarantors of Indebtedness (Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows) (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
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net (loss) income	$ 8,712	$ 19,677	$ 11,777	$ 5,126	$ 27,722	$ 35,730	$ 28,545	$ 15,939	$ 45,292	$ 107,936	$ 87,296
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization									43,729	55,972	59,410
Share-based compensation expense									9,477	18,615	6,623
Excess income tax benefit from share-based compensation									(186)	(787)	(1,148)
Deferred income taxes									22,214	21,460	9,009
(Gain) loss on sale of investments										1,786
(Gain) loss on sale of property and equipment									(2,909)	801	49
Other long-term liabilities									28,912	3,074	23,107
Other non-cash items									(3,680)	3,273	(3,719)
Changes in other components of working capital									(128,777)	(268,808)	(129,899)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES									14,072	(56,678)	50,728
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of property and equipment excluding financed purchases									(35,912)	(75,013)	(42,360)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment									4,980	5,335	2,663
Proceeds from sale of available-for-sale securities										44,497
Change in restricted cash									(1,483)	(1,776)	(3,877)
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES									(32,415)	(26,957)	(43,574)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from debt									1,013,205	1,156,739	653,280
Repayment of debt									(1,054,371)	(1,026,349)	(676,795)
Business acquisition-related payments										(26,430)	(31,038)
Excess income tax benefit from share-based compensation									186	787	1,148
Issuance of common stock and effect of cashless exercise									(808)	(1,771)	(1,882)
Debt issuance costs										(3,681)
NET CASH (USED IN) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES									(41,788)	99,295	(55,287)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents									(60,131)	15,660	(48,133)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year				135,583				119,923	135,583	119,923	168,056
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	75,452				135,583				75,452	135,583	119,923
Eliminations [Member]
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net (loss) income									(23,367)	(95,501)	(122,875)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities:
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									23,367	95,501	122,875
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
(Increase) decrease in intercompany advances									102,763
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES									102,763
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Increase (decrease) in intercompany advances									(102,763)
NET CASH (USED IN) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES									(102,763)
Tutor Perini Corporation [Member]
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net (loss) income									45,292	107,936	87,296
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization									10,707	4,592	10,893
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									(23,367)	(95,501)	(122,875)
Share-based compensation expense									9,477	19,256	6,623
Excess income tax benefit from share-based compensation									(186)	(787)	(1,148)
Adjustment interest rate swap to fair value									(224)
Deferred income taxes									1,399	39,186	921
(Gain) loss on sale of investments										1,786
(Gain) loss on sale of property and equipment									82	833
Other long-term liabilities									(3,157)	20,221	24,359
Other non-cash items									(248)	(7,029)	(4,341)
Changes in other components of working capital									(154,300)	(26,100)	72,359
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES									(114,525)	64,393	74,087
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of property and equipment excluding financed purchases									(21,587)	(17,626)	(21,267)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment										(784)	6
Proceeds from sale of available-for-sale securities										44,497
Change in restricted cash										15,464	11,403
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES									(21,587)	41,551	(9,858)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from debt									981,855	1,078,932	627,520
Repayment of debt									(962,701)	(957,830)	(647,795)
Business acquisition-related payments										(26,430)	(31,038)
Excess income tax benefit from share-based compensation									186	787	1,148
Issuance of common stock and effect of cashless exercise									(808)	(1,772)	(1,882)
Debt issuance costs										(3,681)
Increase (decrease) in intercompany advances									89,689	(209,858)	12,150
NET CASH (USED IN) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES									108,221	(119,852)	(39,897)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents									(27,891)	(13,908)	24,332
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year				75,087				88,995	75,087	88,995	64,663
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	47,196				75,087				47,196	75,087	88,995
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net (loss) income									15,959	86,089	109,894
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization									32,746	51,109	48,246
Share-based compensation expense										(641)
Adjustment interest rate swap to fair value									224
Deferred income taxes									36,083	(17,726)	8,088
(Gain) loss on sale of property and equipment									(2,991)	(32)	49
Other long-term liabilities									32,069	(17,147)	(1,252)
Other non-cash items									(3,432)	10,302	622
Changes in other components of working capital									49,868	(264,203)	(184,543)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES									160,526	(152,249)	(18,896)
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of property and equipment excluding financed purchases									(14,286)	(57,387)	(21,093)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment									4,980	6,119	2,657
(Increase) decrease in intercompany advances									(102,763)
Change in restricted cash									1,991	2,766	441
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES									(110,078)	(48,502)	(17,995)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from debt									31,350	77,807	25,760
Repayment of debt									(91,670)	(68,519)	(29,000)
Issuance of common stock and effect of cashless exercise										1
Increase (decrease) in intercompany advances										210,195	(16,223)
NET CASH (USED IN) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES									(60,320)	219,484	(19,463)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents									(9,872)	18,733	(56,354)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year				36,764				18,031	36,764	18,031	74,385
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	26,892				36,764				26,892	36,764	18,031
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net (loss) income									7,408	9,412	12,981
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization									276	271	271
Deferred income taxes									(15,268)
Changes in other components of working capital									(24,345)	21,495	(17,715)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES									(31,929)	31,178	(4,463)
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of property and equipment excluding financed purchases									(39)
Change in restricted cash									(3,474)	(20,006)	(15,721)
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES									(3,513)	(20,006)	(15,721)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Increase (decrease) in intercompany advances									13,074	(337)	4,073
NET CASH (USED IN) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES									13,074	(337)	4,073
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents									(22,368)	10,835	(16,111)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year				$ 23,732				$ 12,897	23,732	12,897	29,008
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	$ 1,364				$ 23,732				$ 1,364	$ 23,732	$ 12,897