Once again, crews showed up late at night in Nonantum to sand the lines off the middle of the street.

But before this feels like deja vu and the ripping open of an old wound, it’s worth noting that this line-blasting was met with joy, community bonding and Italian pride.

Last summer, then-Mayor Ruthanne Fuller had that street’s traditional red, white and green lines removed just a few week’s before the St. Mary of Carmen Society’s 90th Italian-American Festival, sparking a summer-long battle between Nonantum residents and the mayor they felt disrespected their heritage.

Current Mayor Marc Laredo recently announced that he’d have the Italian flag-colored lines put back on to Adams Street.

And State Rep. John Lawn, who was outside along Adams Street while crews started their work, helped get the state to pay for the Adams Street paint job and more.

“We got money through the Fair Share Amendment for transportation,” Lawn explained as workers arrived to start the work.

Lawn earmarked $50,000 for what he calls the “Adams Street Cultural Corridor,” and that will help with roadway improvements and other things aimed at nurturing and promoting Nonantum’s unique culture.

“It’s a corridor that’s so important as we saw last year.” he said.

“It’s for crosswalks, some signage and some safety improvements in some of the parks,” Lawn explained. “Some of the neighbors have been talking about doing some improvements to Pellegrini Park and painting a lot of the cultural landmarks.”

School Committee member Nonantum resident Arrianna Proia, who used to help paint the Italian flag lines onto the street herself, was there Monday night to watch the colors return.

“I’m very happy to see the lines move forward,” Proia said. “I’m very thankful to the mayor’s team for really sticking to his promises and restoring that something that, in my opinion, shouldn’t have changed. And I’m very grateful to state Rep. John Law and for getting us the funding through the Fair Share Amendment to ensure this that can happen before the Memorial Day Parade next weekend and for this year’s 91st annual festival.”

For Proia, the daughter of a Newton firefighter and the first Gen-Z member of the Newton City Council, Monday’s roadwork was about restoration of normalcy.

“I grew up on Adams Street. I’m a lifelong Adam Street resident, so it’s been a very weird, couple of months not having those there,” she said. “It’s not just about the Italian lines. It’s about the community. It’s about everyone feeling like they can feel at home in Nonantum, especially during that third week of July.”

The crew was still working on the lines as of midnight.