When proceedings for any public improvement are instituted under any law authorizing the same, and all thereof are instituted to the governing body of the municipality at substantially the same dates and the governing body may by resolution determine that these various improvements, although separately instituted, can be more economically completed if consolidated and joined as one project, the governing body shall have the power by resolution to consolidate these various proceedings for these separate improvements, and after the consolidation all subsequent proceedings shall be conducted in all respects as if the various separate proceedings had originally been instituted as one proceeding.