The first 10 floors of the derelict Plaza Tower will soon be wrapped with welcome signs. A giant mural will cover a portion of the city-owned parking garage across the street from City Hall, along with smaller murals on buildings scattered throughout downtown. Additionally, water line replacement and other utility work around the Hard Rock hotel collapse site are now underway.

These efforts are part of a $40 million infrastructure and beautification package that city officials are planning ahead of Super Bowl LIX in February. The projects include city-wide graffiti abatement, interstate lighting, downtown road resurfacing, and individual curb cuts and lamppost replacements. In total, there are more than 400 projects planned.

“These are long-lasting infrastructure improvements that we are putting forward,” said Joe Threat, the city’s infrastructure chief, during a City Council committee meeting on Monday.

Threat and other officials shared project details after Mayor LaToya Cantrell dubbed this “the summer of Super Bowl” last week. Alongside Gov. Jeff Landry, Cantrell promised to complete numerous projects rapidly before hundreds of thousands of visitors arrive in New Orleans for the Super Bowl, which will take place just ahead of Mardi Gras.

On Monday, Threat and Michael Hecht, the executive director of Greater New Orleans Inc., whom Landry appointed to coordinate city and state efforts, provided additional details about the projects and funding sources.

The city’s capital budget will cover most of the work, with an additional $7.5 million from the state. Separately, the city and state are funding programmable LED lights on the Crescent City Connection, a $21 million project that Hecht said will become an “instant icon.”

“Each of these projects is a chance to beautify our city,” Hecht said. “Every single one matters, and we’re tackling them all together.”

While the Plaza Tower and other tourist-heavy areas will feature prominently in the project list, the efforts extend beyond downtown.

For instance, planners are assessing the condition of routes between downtown and the New Orleans Lakefront Airport, which caters to private jets. A bid package for road projects on Downman Road and Hayne Boulevard is being finalized.

Decorative fencing is also planned for highway underpasses, including around the city impound lot under Interstate-10 on North Claiborne Avenue.

“When people get their cars towed, they can go to a nice place to pick that car up and pay the fee,” Threat joked.

The Earhart Boulevard underpass near Home Depot is another focal point, with plans for new murals and greenery in the area. People currently living in a cluster of tents there will be “rehoused in a humane way,” Hecht said.

“The parks and public spaces will range from things that you might not notice today,” Hecht said. “But once they’re beautified, you will notice them, and they’ll collectively contribute to a city that is welcoming for all of its residents.”