Construction is now under way on the new Georgia State Patrol Post 6.

Those driving by the Cleveland Highway property likely noticed the old building has been demolished, and work has begun on the new and improved post.

Project Manager Jody Woodall said Hall County crews are working on the foundations of the new building.

"The footings should be going in and the building pads should be going in very soon," Woodall said.

County crews will now be working on the project daily — with the exception of bad weather.

"We’re anticipating a completion date of December of this year," Woodall said.

The new post will be a vast improvement over the old, 5,000-square-foot facility, which was built in the mid-1960s and had a number of issues, including leaks and mold.

The proposed facility will be more than twice the size of the old post at approximately 13,000 square feet and will serve as a backup to the statewide headquarters in Atlanta.

"This one will have eight bunk rooms for the troopers," Woodall said. "It will also have a larger radio room."

The new Post 6 will house radio communications for the North Georgia region and will be equipped with everything necessary should anything happen to the state patrol’s Atlanta headquarters.

Woodall said construction will not have any effect on traffic in the area.

"All of the construction is interior on the site and we’re not doing anything on the driveways that connect to (U.S.) 129/Cleveland Highway," Woodall said.

Hall County is building the Georgia State Patrol post for an estimated $2.5 to $3 million through a 15-year bond issuance. The lease arrangement with the state is similar to what other counties have paid to keep the posts in their areas.

Hall County Board of Commissioners Chairman Tom Oliver said the cost is worth it to keep the state patrol nearby.

"It keeps exposure here," Oliver said. "We felt like it more than paid for itself."