Coviello Electric Adds Brilliance to an Iconic Landmark
Braga Bridge Project is a Milestone for Family Firm
Coviello Electric Inc. is a second-generation, family-owned and operated electrical contractor that has carved out a healthy, respected perch in the Boston region’s public transit infrastructure.
This presence on the region’s highways is just one indicator of Coviello Electric’s extensive expertise. For example, commuters driving along the southbound corridor of Route 93 are guided by 23 Coviello-installed Variable Message Signs. If you dashed down the Route 2 mainline recently, you experienced a broad slate of highway lighting improvements, courtesy of Coviello’s team of electricians, including new lighting load centers, 211 LED illuminated poles, and more than 50,000 feet of new conduit.
Coviello Electric’s full capabilities shine brightest on the iconic Braga Bridge, spanning over Battleship Cove in Fall River, with a newly transformed state-of-the-art aesthetic lighting installation. “This is our biggest project to date,” says Vice President Jared Coviello, who runs the company with his brother Adam Coviello. “We’ve done some projects that were close in dollar value, but nothing this large or this visible.”
The Coviello team upgraded roadway, navigational, and aviation lighting, all supported by an advanced electrical distribution network for reliability and efficiency. They also installed two new overhead sign structures, improving traffic guidance and safety for thousands of daily drivers.
The project stands out for its programmable architectural lighting in the truss, which creates dynamic color displays. Officials can control the system remotely, lighting the bridge with themed colors for holidays and events.
“We’re proud to be part of this project because that bridge is going to be lit up and admired by millions of people for years,” Jared says. “To know we had a hand in making that happen — that’s pretty awesome.” That sense of pride is shared by everyone who works at Coviello Electric. “There’s a lot of pride when you can drive down a highway and say, ‘I put those lights up.’ That gives everyone a boost.”
The company’s success, vividly illustrated by its contribution to such an iconic local landmark, represents a big leap from its beginnings in 1979.
“It was my father’s company,” Jared explains. “Coviello Electric started as a two-man shop doing residential work and slowly moved into the public side — municipalities, state agencies, MassDOT, things like that.” The brothers eventually took over the company and built on its outdoor expertise. “Traffic lights and street lighting have been our bread and butter for a long time.”
Given its focus on transportation infrastructure, Coviello Electric operates mainly outdoors. “I always joke when friends ask me to look at an electrical problem in their home — you don’t want me doing that. But I’ll put an intersection in front of your house without thinking about it.”
That niche has allowed the company to develop deep expertise in complex highway systems while also shaping its culture. As a result, growth has been deliberate rather than aggressive, with expansion from roughly ten employees when the firm joined Local 103 to about 30 today.
The goal, Coviello emphasizes, has never been to become the biggest contractor in the field, but to maintain a family-oriented workplace that provides stable careers as the company has grown. Many employees have spent decades with the company, including team members with 30 or even 40 years of service. “We don’t just look at them as employees — we really look at them all as family,” he says.
That commitment is tested each winter, when cold weather can threaten schedules and job continuity. “Every winter is a battle to make sure we’re keeping all our guys working,” Jared says. “We just had a long, challenging winter, but we came through it with no layoffs. That’s what creates loyalty and contributes to our family atmosphere.”
“Now I feel like we’ve finally hit the turning point weather-wise and we’re ready to go.”
Despite this specialized focus, Coviello Electric's core specialty hasn’t limited its reach. The company has proven its mettle with sports lighting, including ball fields and stadiums, “and we’re also getting into EV chargers, mostly for municipalities and transit agencies, like electric buses.”
Jared expects the EV market to expand over time, though he notes that utility upgrades will be essential. “One of the biggest challenges is the power infrastructure — fast chargers draw a lot of energy, so utilities need to invest to keep that growth moving in the right direction.”
In addition to expanding its technical portfolio, joining NECA Boston has contributed much to the company’s development.
“The biggest benefit has been the training — NECA offers programs for owners, project managers, foremen, all different areas,” he says. These resources have helped the company adapt to emerging systems and industry trends while strengthening professional relationships across the region. “It’s really about how we can get better as contractors.”
“Joining NECA has been a completely positive experience for us.”
More than four decades after its founding, Coviello Electric remains guided by the same principles that launched it: steady growth, technical excellence, and devotion to customers and employees alike. Whatever the future holds, Coviello Electric’s legacy is secure – for as long as the dazzling colors of Braga Bridge illuminate Fall River’s nightscape.
