Common path of travel is defined as what?

• A. Path that all occupants must travel in one direction before reaching a point where they may choose between two exits
• B. Path to the public way outside the building
• C. Elevator lobby corridor
• D. Path that leads to the nearest stair

Answer: (A)

Common path of travel is the portion of the egress path that occupants must use together before they have a choice of exits. It’s the stretch you travel in one direction until you reach a point where you can split to two different exits. This shared path is important because it is common to all occupants and thus its length, protection, and clearance impact safety during a evacuation.

The other options describe different parts of the means of egress: moving to the outside is the exit discharge, not the shared path; an elevator lobby corridor isn’t inherently the branching point to multiple exits; and the path to the nearest stair describes a specific route rather than the point where occupants have a choice between exits.