Kudos for reading up, but I still disagree that light rail isn't a feasible solution for Vermont despite the small population.

I vehemently disagree that walkable towns and cities aren't a priority. Regardless of population, equality and quality of life dramatically improved when individuals have walkable access to community. Vermont is rural but it is full of small towns that have most of the things one needs in a concentrated area. I live in a small town (around ~4,000 people) but I can walk to the grocery store, restaurants, the post office, the library, etc.

Despite this, car-centric infrastructure detracts from this all the time in ways we have become blind to. Instead of more community or living space we hundreds of free parking spaces smack in the middle of town. We have busy roads that are dangerous to walk or bike on. We have had to install flashing pedestrian crossing signals because people keep getting hit by cars.

These are the subsidies that society pays for cars and car infrastructure.

Public transit, whether it be bus, train, or bike lane are more egalitarian and less impactful than cars.

As you reduce the amount of cars on the road, you also reduce road wear and cost as well.

I'm not saying that every little town can have rail, but the map OP posted is reasonable and doable. 95% of these right of ways already exist . . .

This is not a city-only problem or solution.