The Texas Department of Transportation shall:
(1) encourage, foster, and assist in developing intracity and intercity public and mass transportation;
(2) encourage the establishment of rapid transit and other transportation media;
(3) assist any political subdivision of this state to obtain federal aid to establish or maintain a public or mass transportation system;
(4) develop and maintain a comprehensive master plan for public and mass transportation development; and
(5) conduct hearings and make investigations to determine the location, type of construction, and cost to the state or its political subdivisions of a public mass transportation system owned, operated, or wholly or partly directly financed by the state.