Separate Financial Information of Subsidiary Guarantors of Indebtedness, Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Ownership interest in guarantors (as a percent)	100.00%
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$ 145,958	$ 135,583	$ 133,064	$ 119,923
Restricted Cash	44,093	44,370
Accounts Receivable	1,394,120	1,479,504
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	795,510	726,402
Deferred Income Taxes	17,962	17,962
Other Current Assets	74,367	68,735
Total current assets	2,472,010	2,472,556
Property and Equipment, net	523,622	527,602
Other Assets:
Goodwill	585,006	585,006
Intangible Assets, net	99,311	100,254
Other	86,531	87,897
Total assets	3,766,480	3,773,315
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Maturities of Long-term Debt	87,600	81,292
Accounts Payable	802,191	798,174
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	286,042	319,296
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	152,916	159,814
Total current liabilities	1,328,749	1,358,576
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	795,742	784,067
Deferred Income Taxes	150,018	150,371
Other Long-term Liabilities	113,507	114,796
Stockholders' Equity	1,378,464	1,365,505
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,766,480	3,773,315
Eliminations [Member]
ASSETS
Accounts Receivable	(99,897)	(103,622)
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	(61,617)	(44,456)
Deferred Income Taxes	2,323	2,323
Other Current Assets	(26,796)	(37,608)
Total current assets	(185,987)	(183,363)
Intercompany Notes and Receivables	(176,388)	(122,401)
Other Assets:
Investment in Subsidiaries	(2,180,248)	(2,174,131)
Other	(5,519)	(5,453)
Total assets	(2,548,142)	(2,485,348)
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts Payable	(118,122)	(109,384)
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	(18,363)	(8,203)
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	(16,349)	(26,952)
Total current liabilities	(152,834)	(144,539)
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	(40,519)	(40,453)
Intercompany Notes and Advances Payable	(174,308)	(125,992)
Stockholders' Equity	(2,180,481)	(2,174,363)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	(2,548,142)	(2,485,347)
Tutor Perini Corporation [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	71,938	75,087	74,623	88,995
Restricted Cash	3,369	3,369
Accounts Receivable	363,404	299,427
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	85,124	70,344
Other Current Assets	40,006	39,196
Total current assets	563,841	487,423
Property and Equipment, net	89,708	92,413
Other Assets:
Investment in Subsidiaries	2,160,682	2,154,562
Other	81,425	83,503
Total assets	2,895,656	2,817,901
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Maturities of Long-term Debt	34,733	34,776
Accounts Payable	188,282	186,958
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	129,662	139,020
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	24,689	33,018
Total current liabilities	377,366	393,772
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	740,095	712,460
Deferred Income Taxes	142,104	142,457
Other Long-term Liabilities	111,536	112,899
Intercompany Notes and Advances Payable	145,689	90,373
Stockholders' Equity	1,378,866	1,365,939
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,895,656	2,817,900
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	49,241	36,764	48,938	18,031
Restricted Cash	4,991	5,274
Accounts Receivable	1,093,631	1,246,635
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	771,851	700,362
Deferred Income Taxes	15,639	15,639
Other Current Assets	43,169	42,750
Total current assets	1,978,522	2,047,424
Property and Equipment, net	429,669	430,876
Intercompany Notes and Receivables	176,388	122,401
Other Assets:
Goodwill	585,006	585,006
Intangible Assets, net	99,311	100,254
Investment in Subsidiaries	19,516	19,519
Other	10,625	9,847
Total assets	3,299,037	3,315,327
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Maturities of Long-term Debt	52,867	46,516
Accounts Payable	730,611	716,851
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	174,709	185,807
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	85,045	95,177
Total current liabilities	1,043,232	1,044,351
Long-term Debt, less current maturities	96,166	112,060
Deferred Income Taxes	7,914	7,914
Other Long-term Liabilities	1,971	1,897
Stockholders' Equity	2,149,754	2,149,105
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,299,037	3,315,327
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents	24,779	23,732	9,503	12,897
Restricted Cash	35,733	35,727
Accounts Receivable	36,982	37,064
Costs and Estimated Earnings in Excess of Billings	152	152
Other Current Assets	17,988	24,397
Total current assets	115,634	121,072
Property and Equipment, net	4,245	4,313
Other Assets:
Investment in Subsidiaries	50	50
Total assets	119,929	125,435
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts Payable	1,420	3,749
Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings	34	2,672
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities	59,531	58,571
Total current liabilities	60,985	64,992
Intercompany Notes and Advances Payable	28,619	35,619
Stockholders' Equity	30,325	24,824
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 119,929	$ 125,435
Senior unsecured notes [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)	7.625%