Separate Financial Information of Subsidiary Guarantors of Indebtedness, Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Ownership interest in guarantors (as a percent)	100.00%
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$ 127,902	$ 168,056	$ 180,777	$ 204,240
Restricted Cash	47,466	38,717
Accounts Receivable	1,397,857	1,224,613
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	538,421	465,002
Deferred Income Taxes	9,631	10,071
Other Current Assets	48,360	75,388
Total current assets	2,169,637	1,981,847
Long-term Investments	46,283	46,283
Property and Equipment, net	493,326	485,095
Other Assets
Goodwill	571,932	570,646
Intangible Assets, net	117,010	126,821
Other	80,759	85,718
Total assets	3,478,947	3,296,410
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Maturities of Long-term Debt	107,821	67,710
Accounts Payable	797,129	696,473
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	282,261	301,761
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	161,649	168,326
Total current liabilities	1,348,860	1,234,270
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	669,710	669,380
Deferred Income Taxes	109,922	109,900
Other Long-term Liabilities	146,484	138,996
Contingencies and commitments
Stockholders' Equity	1,203,971	1,143,864
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,478,947	3,296,410
Eliminations
ASSETS
Accounts Receivable	(77,574)	(75,429)
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	(27,663)	(24,103)
Deferred Income Taxes	(6,085)	(5,752)
Other Current Assets	(61,675)	(3,957)
Total current assets	(172,997)	(109,241)
Intercompany Notes and Receivables	(421,440)	(493,277)
Other Assets
Investment in Subsidiaries	(2,139,113)	(2,122,300)
Other	(5,115)	(39,913)
Total assets	(2,738,665)	(2,764,731)
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts Payable	(92,452)	(99,532)
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	(47,857)	(9,709)
Total current liabilities	(140,309)	(109,241)
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	(40,115)	(39,913)
Intercompany Notes and Advances Payable	(413,993)	(493,277)
Stockholders' Equity	(2,144,248)	(2,122,300)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	(2,738,665)	(2,764,731)
Tutor Perini Corporation | Reportable legal entity
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	80,832	64,663	93,938	134,936
Restricted Cash	23,456	30,236
Accounts Receivable	256,731	177,856
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	78,163	111,821
Other Current Assets	68,615	26,461
Total current assets	507,797	411,037
Long-term Investments	46,283	46,283
Property and Equipment, net	80,267	64,248
Other Assets
Investment in Subsidiaries	2,139,063	2,122,116
Other	75,217	81,198
Total assets	2,848,627	2,724,882
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Maturities of Long-term Debt	44,250	42,589
Accounts Payable	157,901	97,834
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	112,295	95,657
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	66,186	30,545
Total current liabilities	380,632	266,625
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	629,527	603,371
Deferred Income Taxes	102,139	102,138
Other Long-term Liabilities	142,449	134,874
Intercompany Notes and Advances Payable	389,909	474,010
Stockholders' Equity	1,203,971	1,143,864
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,848,627	2,724,882
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entity
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	27,812	74,385	50,304	52,492
Restricted Cash	8,295	8,481
Accounts Receivable	1,174,201	1,121,098
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	487,769	377,132
Deferred Income Taxes	15,716	15,823
Other Current Assets	21,153	49,993
Total current assets	1,734,946	1,646,912
Property and Equipment, net	408,421	416,006
Intercompany Notes and Receivables	421,440	493,277
Other Assets
Goodwill	571,932	570,646
Intangible Assets, net	117,010	126,821
Investment in Subsidiaries		134
Other	10,657	9,058
Total assets	3,264,406	3,262,854
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Maturities of Long-term Debt	63,571	25,121
Accounts Payable	721,670	698,015
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	169,932	206,070
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	96,060	108,589
Total current liabilities	1,051,233	1,037,795
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	80,298	105,922
Deferred Income Taxes	7,783	7,762
Other Long-term Liabilities	4,035	4,122
Stockholders' Equity	2,121,057	2,107,253
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,264,406	3,262,854
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entity
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	19,258	29,008	36,535	16,812
Restricted Cash	15,715
Accounts Receivable	44,499	1,088
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	152	152
Other Current Assets	20,267	2,891
Total current assets	99,891	33,139
Property and Equipment, net	4,638	4,841
Other Assets
Investment in Subsidiaries	50	50
Other		35,375
Total assets	104,579	73,405
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts Payable	10,010	156
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	34	34
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	47,260	38,901
Total current liabilities	57,304	39,091
Intercompany Notes and Advances Payable	24,084	19,267
Stockholders' Equity	23,191	15,047
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 104,579	$ 73,405
7.625% Senior Notes due 2018
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)	7.625%