Photos: Traffic, Closures Around Tysons Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

(Updated at 12:55 p.m.) The streets and shops around Tysons are growing increasingly deserted as more and more people stay at home during the coronavirus pandemic.

It appears that local residents are taking social distancing and staying at home — if possible — seriously from photos sent to Tysons Reporter by readers to a visit by our staff photographer last week.

Traffic data from Google Maps showed that traffic was reduced around 10 a.m. than it normally is at the same time on most Mondays.

The Virginia Department of Transportation’s traffic cameras show few cars on Leesburg Pike in Pimmit Hills, Chain Bridge Road at the Tysons-Vienna border, Route 50 in Falls Church and I-66 in Merrifield.

Meanwhile, I-495 near Old Dominion Drive in McLean had some cars on the highway, the cameras show.

On Wednesday (March 18). Jay Westcott, Tysons Reporter’s staff photographer, noticed a “fair amount” of traffic in the area, but less congestion on I-66 in the morning.

Westcott noted that usually busy streets around Tysons were empty.

Traffic camera footage in Tysons, McLean, Vienna, Falls Church and Merrifield this morning: https://t.co/lUBvJiaKJx pic.twitter.com/cnGaRqyp02

— Catherine D Moran (@c_douglasmoran) March 23, 2020

@TysonsReporter Right now on Route 7 Leesburg Pike.
Photo by Ed Schudel pic.twitter.com/MdIH6XAq1h

— Eddie (@WFOcom) March 22, 2020

Not that there would be much to do for people who decide to venture outside — movie theaters, performing arts centers and many retailers are temporarily closed or pivoted to online options, while events have been canceled.

While they are still open, Tysons Galleria and Tysons Corner Center have altered their hours of operations and upped their cleaning schedules.

Local resident David Endres recently spotted seating blocked off at various spots in Tysons Corner Center:

To lower the risk of spreading the virus, eateries that have not temporarily closed have switched to delivery and take-out only options.

Westcott spotted orange plastic fencing around the seats at the McDonald’s at the intersection of Old Courthouse and Chain Bridge roads.

Meanwhile, Endres noticed these signs around Capital One’s headquarters near the McLean Metro station:

While Westcott saw few people in downtown Tysons by the malls, he did spot several people getting fresh air at local parks, like Spring Hill District Park, and along the W&OD Trail in Vienna.

While Fairfax County has closed its indoor park facilities and recreation, nature and community centers through March 29, people can still use the county’s outdoor parks and trails.

Have you recently snapped some photos of what the Tysons area is like right now? Feel free to share them with us by sending them to [email protected] or DMing us on our social media accounts: Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Staff photographer Jay Westcott contributed to this story