Separate Financial Information of Subsidiary Guarantors of Indebtedness, Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 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	$ 180,777	$ 204,240	$ 273,321	$ 471,378
Restricted Cash	38,700	35,437
Accounts Receivable	1,249,787	1,275,031
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	411,662	358,398
Deferred Income Taxes	3,246	0
Other Current Assets	76,021	76,928
Total Current Assets	1,960,193	1,950,034
Long-term Investments	46,283	62,311
Property and Equipment, net	488,114	491,377
Intercompany notes and receivables	0	0
Other Assets:
Goodwill	570,646	892,602
Intangible Assets, net	130,092	197,999
Investments in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other	40,130	18,804
Total Assets	3,235,458	3,613,127
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Maturities of Long-term Debt	63,832	59,959
Accounts Payable	750,697	785,725
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	345,428	384,282
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	161,495	163,268
Total Current Liabilities	1,321,452	1,393,234
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	636,932	612,548
Deferred Income Taxes	59,780	97,921
Other Long-term Liabilities	116,557	109,597
Contingencies and Commitments
Intercompany Notes and Advances Payable	0	0
Stockholders' Equity	1,100,737	1,399,827
Total Liability and Stockholders' Equity	3,235,458	3,613,127
Tutor Perini Corporation [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	93,938	134,936	162,129	222,156
Restricted Cash	30,226	26,985
Accounts Receivable	141,255	106,540
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	97,540	103,418
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0
Other Current Assets	68,080	53,513
Total Current Assets	431,039	425,392
Long-term Investments	46,283	62,311
Property and Equipment, net	62,234	49,343
Intercompany notes and receivables	56,746	9,232
Other Assets:
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, net	0	0
Investments in Subsidiaries	2,074,576	2,431,150
Other	37,320	13,830
Total Assets	2,708,198	2,991,258
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Maturities of Long-term Debt	40,454	36,105
Accounts Payable	64,834	40,072
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	96,187	58,877
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	96,192	39,870
Total Current Liabilities	297,667	174,924
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	548,496	507,482
Deferred Income Taxes	54,014	89,798
Other Long-term Liabilities	112,388	104,740
Contingencies and Commitments
Intercompany Notes and Advances Payable	594,896	714,487
Stockholders' Equity	1,100,737	1,399,827
Total Liability and Stockholders' Equity	2,708,198	2,991,258
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	50,304	52,492	87,130	220,086
Restricted Cash	8,474	8,452
Accounts Receivable	1,147,571	1,257,384
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	333,611	254,828
Deferred Income Taxes	15,696	0
Other Current Assets	48,958	48,218
Total Current Assets	1,604,614	1,621,374
Long-term Investments	0	0
Property and Equipment, net	420,971	436,921
Intercompany notes and receivables	606,288	705,371
Other Assets:
Goodwill	570,646	892,602
Intangible Assets, net	130,092	197,999
Investments in Subsidiaries	4	300
Other	9,274	9,183
Total Assets	3,341,889	3,863,750
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Maturities of Long-term Debt	23,378	23,854
Accounts Payable	746,805	844,664
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	249,207	325,371
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	87,240	123,598
Total Current Liabilities	1,106,630	1,317,487
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	113,281	129,650
Deferred Income Taxes	7,760	8,123
Other Long-term Liabilities	4,169	4,857
Contingencies and Commitments
Intercompany Notes and Advances Payable	49,821	(15,835)
Stockholders' Equity	2,060,228	2,419,468
Total Liability and Stockholders' Equity	3,341,889	3,863,750
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	36,535	16,812	24,062	29,136
Restricted Cash	0	0
Accounts Receivable	2,320	10,173
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	152	152
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0
Other Current Assets	3,629	2,767
Total Current Assets	42,636	29,904
Long-term Investments	0	0
Property and Equipment, net	4,909	5,113
Intercompany notes and receivables	(14,761)	(10,761)
Other Assets:
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, net	0	0
Investments in Subsidiaries	50	50
Other	20,375	20,375
Total Assets	53,209	44,681
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Maturities of Long-term Debt	0	0
Accounts Payable	58	55
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	34	34
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	35,159	27,370
Total Current Liabilities	35,251	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	3,556	5,190
Stockholders' Equity	14,402	12,032
Total Liability and Stockholders' Equity	53,209	44,681
Eliminations [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0	0
Restricted Cash	0	0
Accounts Receivable	(41,359)	(99,066)
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	(19,641)	0
Deferred Income Taxes	(12,450)	0
Other Current Assets	(44,646)	(27,570)
Total Current Assets	(118,096)	(126,636)
Long-term Investments	0	0
Property and Equipment, net	0	0
Intercompany notes and receivables	(648,273)	(703,842)
Other Assets:
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, net	0	0
Investments in Subsidiaries	(2,074,630)	(2,431,500)
Other	(26,839)	(24,584)
Total Assets	(2,867,838)	(3,286,562)
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Maturities of Long-term Debt	0	0
Accounts Payable	(61,000)	(99,066)
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	0	0
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	(57,096)	(27,570)
Total Current Liabilities	(118,096)	(126,636)
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	(24,845)	(24,584)
Deferred Income Taxes	(1,994)	0
Other Long-term Liabilities	0	0
Contingencies and Commitments
Intercompany Notes and Advances Payable	(648,273)	(703,842)
Stockholders' Equity	(2,074,630)	(2,431,500)
Total Liability and Stockholders' Equity	$ (2,867,838)	$ (3,286,562)
7.625% Senior Notes due 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (in hundredths)	7.625%