(a) Whenever the governing body deems it necessary to improve any street or part thereof within the limits of the municipal corporation, either in length or in width, it shall, by resolution, declare such improvement necessary to be done and shall publish such resolution once a week for at least three consecutive weeks in the newspaper in which the sheriff's advertisements of the county in which the municipal corporation is located are published. If the owners of a majority of the lineal feet of frontage of the lands abutting on the proposed improvement, within 15 days after the last day of publication of the resolution, do not file with the clerk of the municipal corporation their protest in writing against the improvement, the governing body shall have the power to cause the improvement to be made, to contract therefor, and to make assessments and fix liens as provided for in this chapter. Any number of streets or any part or parts thereof to be so improved may be included in one resolution. Any protest or objection shall be made as to each street separately.

(b) If the owners of a majority of the lineal feet of frontage of the land liable to assessment for the improvement petition the governing body for the improvement, citing this chapter and designating by general description the improvement to be undertaken and the street or streets or part thereof to be improved, it shall thereupon be the duty of the governing body to proceed, as provided in this chapter, to cause such improvement to be made in accordance with the prayers of the petition and their own best judgment. In such cases the resolution mentioned in subsection (a) of this Code section shall not be required. The petition shall be lodged with the clerk of the municipal corporation, who shall investigate the sufficiency thereof, submit the petition to the governing body, and certify the result of his investigation.