Business Segments (Narrative) (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) segment $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) item $ / shares
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of basic segments | segment									3
Income from construction operations	$ 52,050	$ 60,919	$ 48,829	$ 40,122	$ 15,474	$ 38,974	$ 30,881	$ 20,084	$ 201,920	$ 105,413	$ 241,690
DILUTED EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE | $ / shares	$ 0.60	$ 0.57	$ 0.43	$ 0.31	$ 0.18	$ 0.40	$ 0.24	$ 0.10	$ 1.92	$ 0.91	$ 2.20
Tutor Perini Corporation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from construction operations									$ 30,589	$ 68,595	$ 70,574
Building [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from construction operations									51,564	(1,240)	24,697
Building [Member] | Unfavorable Adjustments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from construction operations										$ (24,300)
DILUTED EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE | $ / shares										$ (0.28)
Building [Member] | Favorable Adjustments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from construction operations											$ 11,400
DILUTED EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE | $ / shares											$ 0.14
Civil [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of projects | item											2
Income from construction operations									172,668	$ 145,213	$ 220,554
Civil [Member] | Unfavorable Adjustments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from construction operations										$ (23,900)	$ (9,400)
DILUTED EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE | $ / shares										$ (0.28)	$ (0.11)
Civil [Member] | Favorable Adjustments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from construction operations											$ 25,900
DILUTED EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE | $ / shares											$ 0.30
Civil Runway Reconstruction Project [Member] | Unfavorable Adjustments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from construction operations										$ (13,700)
DILUTED EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE | $ / shares										$ (0.16)
Specialty Contractors [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from construction operations									37,908	$ 15,682	$ 50,998
Specialty Contractors [Member] | Unfavorable Adjustments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from construction operations									$ (13,800)
DILUTED EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE | $ / shares									$ (0.16)
Specialty Contractors [Member] | Favorable Adjustments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from construction operations									$ 14,000
DILUTED EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE | $ / shares									$ 0.17
Five Star Electric [Member] | Unfavorable Adjustments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from construction operations										$ (45,600)
DILUTED EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE | $ / shares										$ (0.53)