Any person aggrieved by the appraisal of damages in laying out any highway or in making any improvement or public work in any city or borough, or by the assessment of benefits therefor, or by any order of the common council of any city in relation to the repair, renewal or change of any highway bridge, may, except in a case where a right of appeal to a court is provided by the charter of the city or borough, appeal from such appraisal, assessment or order, to any judge of the Superior Court within thirty days after due notice is given of such appraisal, assessment or order, which appeal shall be a written petition for reappraisal, reassessment or review of such order, with a citation attached thereto, and returnable in not less than six and not more than twenty days after its date, and shall be served at least six days before the return day upon the clerk of such city or borough. Any number of persons who are similarly affected by any such appraisal, assessment or order may join in taking and prosecuting such appeal. Such judge may, by committee or otherwise, reassess such damages or benefits, or review and revoke, modify or affirm such order, and, if such damages are increased or such assessments of benefits reduced or such order revoked, may award costs against the city or borough, otherwise against the appellant. Such judge shall issue execution for the amount of damages or benefits fixed by such reassessment, and in favor of either party for costs, to be taxed as upon civil process, and, after the proceedings have been closed, return all the papers connected with the case to the clerk of such city or borough, who shall keep them on file.