Each charter township may make local or public improvements by paving streets that are not a part of the county highway system, laying curbs and gutters, installing elevated structures for foot travel over highways within the township with the written approval of the director of the state transportation department if the highways are state highways or with the written approval of the board of county road commissioners if the highways are county roads, laying sidewalks, installing solid waste disposal systems, steam generation and distribution, paving streets that are a part of the county highway system with the consent of and according to specifications of the county road commission, laying storm and sanitary sewers and separating storm water drainage and footing drains from sanitary sewers on privately owned property for a public purpose, installing water systems, and installing street and highway lighting systems, and further may maintain or operate these improvements. The township board of each charter township may determine the necessity of the local or public improvement and may determine that the whole or any part of the expense of the local or public improvement shall be defrayed by special assessment upon lands abutting upon and adjacent to or otherwise benefited by the improvement. A special assessment under this section shall be made in all respects as provided for the making of special assessments under 1954 PA 188, MCL 41.721 to 41.738. Each charter township may borrow money and issue bonds therefor in anticipation of the payment of special assessments, which may be an obligation of the special assessment district or may be both an obligation of the special assessment district and a general obligation of the township. Bonds issued under this act shall be issued in accordance with 1954 PA 188, MCL 41.721 to 41.738.