Study: Sonoma Valley residents could face hours of traffic during wildfire evacuation

Sonoma Valley residents could face hours of gridlocked traffic jams in the event of an evacuation because of a wildfire, according to a new study commissioned by a local nonprofit organization. 

The findings by KLD Associates Inc., a San Antonio, Texas-based consulting firm, drastically differ from the county’s assessment of its evacuation time estimates, as well as the impact of developing the Sonoma Developmental Center into a housing and visitor complex and the Hanna project proposed to develop a 60-acre site on Arnold Drive with housing, commercial space and more.