Separate Financial Information of Subsidiary Guarantors of Indebtedness, Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 1,099,393	$ 1,166,410	$ 2,997,273	$ 2,601,557
Cost of Operations	983,930	1,046,055	2,708,590	2,331,529
Gross Profit	115,463	120,355	288,683	270,028
General and Administrative Expenses	60,787	58,319	194,644	152,444
Goodwill and Intangible Asset Impairment	0	0	376,574	0
INCOME (LOSS) FROM CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS	54,676	62,036	(282,535)	117,584
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Other Income (Expense), net	545	5,863	(681)	6,648
Interest Expense	(11,039)	(11,566)	(32,724)	(25,973)
Income (Loss) before Income Taxes	44,182	56,333	(315,940)	98,259
Benefit (Provision) for Income Taxes	(1,591)	(20,856)	8,905	(36,159)
NET INCOME (LOSS)	42,591	35,477	(307,035)	62,100
Other Comprehensive Income:
Other Comprehensive Income of Subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Tax adjustment on minimum pension liability	(841)	0	(841)	0
Foreign currency translation	362	(1,279)	419	(1,190)
Change in fair value of investments	1	595	208	595
Change in fair value of interest rate swap (net of tax of $756)	(177)	0	(1,196)	0
Realized loss on sale of investments recorded in Net (Loss) Income	0	0	2,005	0
Total Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	(655)	(684)	595	(595)
Total Comprehensive Income (Loss)	41,936	34,793	(306,440)	61,505
Tutor Perini Corporation [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) [Abstract]
Revenues	113,068	72,632	276,633	225,619
Cost of Operations	97,225	63,235	242,954	191,888
Gross Profit	15,843	9,397	33,679	33,731
General and Administrative Expenses	17,840	14,892	53,579	45,456
Goodwill and Intangible Asset Impairment			0
INCOME (LOSS) FROM CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS	(1,997)	(5,495)	(19,900)	(11,725)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	49,135	42,116	(273,177)	80,459
Other Income (Expense), net	45	5,536	(1,484)	6,639
Interest Expense	(10,133)	(10,634)	(29,817)	(23,963)
Income (Loss) before Income Taxes	37,050	31,523	(324,378)	51,410
Benefit (Provision) for Income Taxes	5,541	3,954	17,343	10,690
NET INCOME (LOSS)	42,591	35,477	(307,035)	62,100
Other Comprehensive Income:
Other Comprehensive Income of Subsidiaries	363	(684)	627	(595)
Tax adjustment on minimum pension liability	(841)		(841)
Foreign currency translation	0	0	0	0
Change in fair value of investments	0	0	0	0
Change in fair value of interest rate swap (net of tax of $756)	(177)		(1,196)
Realized loss on sale of investments recorded in Net (Loss) Income			2,005
Total Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	(655)	(684)	595	(595)
Total Comprehensive Income (Loss)	41,936	34,793	(306,440)	61,505
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) [Abstract]
Revenues	996,809	1,197,802	2,764,764	2,520,839
Cost of Operations	900,634	1,091,167	2,521,009	2,294,167
Gross Profit	96,175	106,635	243,755	226,672
General and Administrative Expenses	42,417	42,993	139,465	105,801
Goodwill and Intangible Asset Impairment			376,574
INCOME (LOSS) FROM CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS	53,758	63,642	(272,284)	120,871
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Other Income (Expense), net	264	323	119	(14)
Interest Expense	(906)	(932)	(2,907)	(2,010)
Income (Loss) before Income Taxes	53,116	63,033	(275,072)	118,847
Benefit (Provision) for Income Taxes	(5,732)	(23,363)	(4,201)	(43,735)
NET INCOME (LOSS)	47,384	39,670	(279,273)	75,112
Other Comprehensive Income:
Other Comprehensive Income of Subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Tax adjustment on minimum pension liability	0		0
Foreign currency translation	362	(1,279)	419	(1,190)
Change in fair value of investments	1	595	208	595
Change in fair value of interest rate swap (net of tax of $756)	0		0
Realized loss on sale of investments recorded in Net (Loss) Income			0
Total Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	363	(684)	627	(595)
Total Comprehensive Income (Loss)	47,747	38,986	(278,646)	74,517
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) [Abstract]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of Operations	(3,445)	(4,323)	(11,249)	(9,625)
Gross Profit	3,445	4,323	11,249	9,625
General and Administrative Expenses	530	434	1,600	1,187
Goodwill and Intangible Asset Impairment			0
INCOME (LOSS) FROM CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS	2,915	3,889	9,649	8,438
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Other Income (Expense), net	236	4	684	23
Interest Expense	0	0	0	0
Income (Loss) before Income Taxes	3,151	3,893	10,333	8,461
Benefit (Provision) for Income Taxes	(1,400)	(1,447)	(4,237)	(3,114)
NET INCOME (LOSS)	1,751	2,446	6,096	5,347
Other Comprehensive Income:
Other Comprehensive Income of Subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Tax adjustment on minimum pension liability	0		0
Foreign currency translation	0	0	0	0
Change in fair value of investments	0	0	0	0
Change in fair value of interest rate swap (net of tax of $756)	0		0
Realized loss on sale of investments recorded in Net (Loss) Income			0
Total Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	0	0	0	0
Total Comprehensive Income (Loss)	1,751	2,446	6,096	5,347
Eliminations [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) [Abstract]
Revenues	(10,484)	(104,024)	(44,124)	(144,901)
Cost of Operations	(10,484)	(104,024)	(44,124)	(144,901)
Gross Profit	0	0	0	0
General and Administrative Expenses	0	0	0	0
Goodwill and Intangible Asset Impairment			0
INCOME (LOSS) FROM CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(49,135)	(42,116)	273,177	(80,459)
Other Income (Expense), net	0	0	0	0
Interest Expense	0	0	0	0
Income (Loss) before Income Taxes	(49,135)	(42,116)	273,177	(80,459)
Benefit (Provision) for Income Taxes	0	0	0	0
NET INCOME (LOSS)	(49,135)	(42,116)	273,177	(80,459)
Other Comprehensive Income:
Other Comprehensive Income of Subsidiaries	(363)	684	(627)	595
Tax adjustment on minimum pension liability	0		0
Foreign currency translation	0	0	0	0
Change in fair value of investments	0	0	0	0
Change in fair value of interest rate swap (net of tax of $756)	0		0
Realized loss on sale of investments recorded in Net (Loss) Income			0
Total Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	(363)	684	(627)	595
Total Comprehensive Income (Loss)	$ (49,498)	$ (41,432)	$ 272,550	$ (79,864)