When the Commissioner of Transportation proposes to build any new state highway over any land within the state, if the land to be taken is not along an existing highway, said commissioner shall hold a public hearing at which time he shall set forth the route and any alternative routes along which such highway is proposed, giving notice of the time and place of such hearing by publication in a newspaper having a substantial circulation in each town, city or borough affected, at least twice, at intervals of not less than two days, the first not more than fifteen days nor less than ten days and the second not less than two days before such hearing. A copy of the map showing the proposed layout and any alternative layouts of such highway shall be delivered to the town clerk who shall display such map for public inspection, at least ten days before such hearing, in the office of the clerk of each town, city or borough in which the highway is located. Such public hearing shall be held in some town or city to be selected by the commissioner wherein the majority in area of the land to be taken is located. At such hearing the commissioner shall show the proposed layout and any alternative layouts and state the reason for the selection of such route, and any persons who are opposed to such layout or route shall be heard and may state their reasons therefor. All expenses of such hearing shall be borne by the Department of Transportation. Upon the completion of such hearing, a consideration of all the evidence relevant to the selection of such route and the objections thereto shall be made, and said commissioner may make such changes as he deems to be in the public interest. If five years elapses from the date of such hearing and none of the land proposed to be used for such highway has been taken by the state, the commissioner shall hold a new public hearing in the manner provided for in this section.