Some parts of the Valley have declared a local emergency in response to recent winter storms, including the one that began Tuesday.

Harrisonburg and Rockingham County made the declaration Tuesday.

According to city officials, the declaration gives the local governments access to federal funding. That's if the president issues a disaster declaration for the area.

"Anything that we get is going to be helpful. We're simply going to have to make up the difference otherwise," says City Manager Kurt Hodgen, who declared the local emergency.

Harrisonburg City Council ratified the declaration at a meeting Tuesday.

The city is quickly going through money because of the intensity of this winter season.

Sara Christensen, who lives in Harrisonburg, is dealing with the winter that just won't end. She still has a lot of ice on her street.

Because of how the large amount of snow that feel this weekend, it took more time for plows to pass by her home.

"They came by a couple times, but by that time I think the ice was so packed down it wasn't really effective," says Christensen.

Dealing with so many storms has put the city almost $200,000 over budget for snow removal.

Even though the city's over budget, it still has to meet certain standards for the roads.

Mayor Kai Degner says because this winter has been so busy, it's been a challenge to get all the city's roads clear.

"Unfortunately, in some of the side roads, we're not able to get immediately in front of every single person's street. But that is something we work to do as quickly as we possibly can," says Degner.

But Christensen is looking at her street, expecting it to be several days before she sees pavement again.

"With the snow coming again today and tomorrow it is a little bit worrisome that we can't get out of our neighborhoods," says Christensen.

City officials say there are few reasons road crews didn't go back to some of the side streets. One reason is because they were concerned once they melted large chunks of ice, water would simply re-freeze overnight and cover entire streets.