RALEIGH, N.C. — Because of repeat car crashes, dozens of intersections in Wake County are on a list to get stoplights. Some intersections on the list have been waiting for years.

One of the intersections is Tryon Road at Avent Ferry Road, which has heavy traffic, construction, wrecks and concerned citizens, but does not always lead to the green light.

"We plead with you and beg for a light. We really need it. It's a horrible turn left or right, either way you slice it," concerned citizen Hillary Berkowitz said.

Berkowitz and a group of concerned citizens want the Department of Transportation to put up a traffic light at the busy intersection where there are two day-care centers, schools and growing neighborhoods nearby.

"Let's not wait for children to be killed at this intersection, to be laying here along with this debris. Let's get something taken care of before there's a tragedy that takes place," concerned citizen Leah Isadore said.

With limited funds, the DOT has a Spot Safety Priority list to improve dangerous intersections. Tryon Road at Avent Ferry Road is No. 16 on a list of 42 intersections.

The top five in line for funding are:

1. N.C. 42 at Hilltop
2. Route 10-10 at Crowder
3. U.S. 158 at Oxford Academy
4. U.S. 401 at Judd Parkway
5. U.S. 401 at Purfoy Road

At No. 16, a stoplight at Tryon Road at Avent Ferry Road could be years away.

"It's truly a priority list, so if another intersection comes in that exhibits a greater need to be addressed earlier, it'll go in ahead of some of these other projects," Nance said.

The story in Wake County is the same statewide. Even if an intersection is on the priority list, there are no guarantees.

Some intersections have been on the priority list since 1996 and have yet to be funded.