By Howard Yune
Napa and Verizon Wireless may complete a trade - of more places to set up cellphone transmitters in exchange for what may become the backbone of a synchronized, traffic-smoothing network of stoplights.
An agreement up for review Tuesday by the City Council would open up city-owned light poles and traffic signals for the telecommunications company to install so-called small cells, or shorter than higher cell towers, throwing a wider web of coverage for wireless Internet and voice calls. Combined with new fiber-optic cable lines, the trans- mitters also are expected to link to Napa's traffic control hard- ware and allow the city to monitor its stoplights at all times - and eventually carry images from surveillance cameras to track accidents and emergencies.