Public Way true statement

• A. A Public Way is open to the outside air and permanently appropriated to the public for public use.
• B. It must be within a building.
• C. It is used only for stairwell access.
• D. It has no width requirement.

Answer: (A)

In the Life Safety Code, a Public Way is defined as a passage that is open to the outside air and permanently appropriated to the public for public use. That description matches the statement exactly: the route is outdoors (open to outside air) and is dedicated for public use, making it a public means of egress. It doesn’t have to be inside a building, and it isn’t limited to stairwell access—the public way can be sidewalks, exterior ramps, or other outdoor egress paths that are publicly owned or dedicated. And while it must be wide enough to meet means of egress requirements, saying there is no width requirement is incorrect.