Strategies to avoid traffic congestion are of high relevance for our economy and society. They have been recognised worldwide as an important field of activity. To cope with this situation there are manifold activities at the EU level and the German national level, but also at the state level, such as the initiative "Congestion-Free State of Hessen 2015" of the Government of the German Federal State of Hessen. As part of this initiative a project at the Technical University of Darmstadt was funded to elaborate the possible measures and strategies to avoid congestion. The formation of traffic congestion is influenced by many factors. As a first step of this project, these factors have been compiled systematically and comprehensively. Different areas of influence have been identified, and on this basis the goals of a traffic management, which is orientated to avoiding congestion, have been formulated. Different fields of activity which can affect the formation of congestion have been combined in nine different strategies to avoid congestion. Of course, the importance of the nine strategies is different. Therefore, the contribution of the various factors to the formation of traffic congestion was estimated for today and the year 2030. The opportunities to change the factors and the social-economical compatibility of the different fields of activity were examined. Therewith, this article describes a framework for the development of well-founded strategies to avoid congestion. Already ongoing and planned activities can be included and allocated within this framework. Appropriate additions can be identified. Finally, all measures can be consolidated to an overall strategy. (A)