The payment of damages sustained by the making of the improvements aforesaid, or by the vacation of any public highway, may be made, either in whole or in part, by the corporation, or in whole or in part by assessments upon the property benefited by such improvements, as said viewers may determine and the court approve, and in the latter case the viewers appointed to assess damages, having first estimated and determined the same apart from benefits, shall also assess the said damages, or so much thereof as they may deem just and reasonable, upon the properties peculiarly benefited by the improvement, including in the said assessment all properties for which damages have been allowed, if, in their judgment, such properties will be benefited thereby, and shall report the same to the said court. The total assessments for benefits shall not exceed the total damages awarded or agreed upon.
53 P.S. § 1087