Separate Financial Information of Subsidiary Guarantors of Indebtedness, Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Separate Financial Information of Subsidiary Guarantors of Indebtedness [Abstract]
Ownership interest in guarantors (in hundredths)	100.00%
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$ 185,386	$ 204,240	$ 420,978	$ 471,378
Restricted Cash	38,684	35,437
Accounts Receivable	1,198,764	1,275,031
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	374,936	358,398
Deferred Income Taxes	2,931	0
Other Current Assets	101,684	76,928
Total Current Assets	1,902,385	1,950,034
Long-term Investments	46,283	62,311
Property and Equipment, net	488,491	491,377
Intercompany notes and receivables	0	0
Other Assets:
Goodwill	570,646	892,602
Intangible Assets, net	133,715	197,999
Investments in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other	35,052	18,804
Total Assets	3,176,572	3,613,127
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Maturities of Long-term Debt	65,039	59,959
Accounts Payable	692,940	785,725
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	362,679	384,282
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	190,092	163,268
Total Current Liabilities	1,310,750	1,393,234
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	625,297	612,548
Deferred Income Taxes	58,981	97,921
Other Long-term Liabilities	125,093	109,597
Contingencies and Commitments
Intercompany Notes and Advances Payable	0	0
Stockholders' Equity	1,056,451	1,399,827
Total Liability and Stockholders' Equity	3,176,572	3,613,127
Tutor Perini Corporation [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	138,340	134,936	344,168	222,156
Restricted Cash	30,216	26,985
Accounts Receivable	123,223	106,540
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	96,140	103,418
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0
Other Current Assets	89,467	53,513
Total Current Assets	477,386	425,392
Long-term Investments	46,283	62,311
Property and Equipment, net	59,563	49,343
Intercompany notes and receivables	48,073	9,232
Other Assets:
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, net	0	0
Investments in Subsidiaries	2,025,111	2,431,150
Other	32,312	13,830
Total Assets	2,688,728	2,991,258
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Maturities of Long-term Debt	41,450	36,105
Accounts Payable	54,630	40,072
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	86,735	58,877
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	110,227	39,870
Total Current Liabilities	293,042	174,924
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	531,120	507,482
Deferred Income Taxes	53,210	89,798
Other Long-term Liabilities	120,886	104,740
Contingencies and Commitments
Intercompany Notes and Advances Payable	634,019	714,487
Stockholders' Equity	1,056,451	1,399,827
Total Liability and Stockholders' Equity	2,688,728	2,991,258
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	16,425	52,492	54,145	220,086
Restricted Cash	8,468	8,452
Accounts Receivable	1,122,420	1,257,384
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	296,926	254,828
Deferred Income Taxes	15,381	0
Other Current Assets	48,789	48,218
Total Current Assets	1,508,409	1,621,374
Long-term Investments	0	0
Property and Equipment, net	423,951	436,921
Intercompany notes and receivables	617,153	705,371
Other Assets:
Goodwill	570,646	892,602
Intangible Assets, net	133,715	197,999
Investments in Subsidiaries	132	300
Other	9,132	9,183
Total Assets	3,263,138	3,863,750
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Maturities of Long-term Debt	23,589	23,854
Accounts Payable	707,568	844,664
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	275,910	325,371
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	98,284	123,598
Total Current Liabilities	1,105,351	1,317,487
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	118,954	129,650
Deferred Income Taxes	7,761	8,123
Other Long-term Liabilities	4,207	4,857
Contingencies and Commitments
Intercompany Notes and Advances Payable	16,702	(15,835)
Stockholders' Equity	2,010,163	2,419,468
Total Liability and Stockholders' Equity	3,263,138	3,863,750
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	30,621	16,812	22,665	29,136
Restricted Cash	0	0
Accounts Receivable	5,162	10,173
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	152	152
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0
Other Current Assets	1,485	2,767
Total Current Assets	37,420	29,904
Long-term Investments	0	0
Property and Equipment, net	4,977	5,113
Intercompany notes and receivables	(13,429)	(10,761)
Other Assets:
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, net	0	0
Investments in Subsidiaries	50	50
Other	20,375	20,375
Total Assets	49,393	44,681
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Maturities of Long-term Debt	0	0
Accounts Payable	1,065	55
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	34	34
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	32,088	27,370
Total Current Liabilities	33,187	27,459
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0
Other Long-term Liabilities	0	0
Contingencies and Commitments
Intercompany Notes and Advances Payable	1,076	5,190
Stockholders' Equity	15,130	12,032
Total Liability and Stockholders' Equity	49,393	44,681
Eliminations [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0	0
Restricted Cash	0	0
Accounts Receivable	(52,041)	(99,066)
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	(18,282)	0
Deferred Income Taxes	(12,450)	0
Other Current Assets	(38,057)	(27,570)
Total Current Assets	(120,830)	(126,636)
Long-term Investments	0	0
Property and Equipment, net	0	0
Intercompany notes and receivables	(651,797)	(703,842)
Other Assets:
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, net	0	0
Investments in Subsidiaries	(2,025,293)	(2,431,500)
Other	(26,767)	(24,584)
Total Assets	(2,824,687)	(3,286,562)
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Maturities of Long-term Debt	0	0
Accounts Payable	(70,323)	(99,066)
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	0	0
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	(50,507)	(27,570)
Total Current Liabilities	(120,830)	(126,636)
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	(24,777)	(24,584)
Deferred Income Taxes	(1,990)	0
Other Long-term Liabilities	0	0
Contingencies and Commitments
Intercompany Notes and Advances Payable	(651,797)	(703,842)
Stockholders' Equity	(2,025,293)	(2,431,500)
Total Liability and Stockholders' Equity	$ (2,824,687)	$ (3,286,562)
7.625% Senior Notes due 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (in hundredths)	7.625%