Re: Common path of travel
The idea came from that often referred to, little used concept called 'common sense'.
Not unlike the rear door in a commercial kitchen having an 'exit' sign. You don't send the 'customers' through the kitchen, but the kitchen staff can use it. In this instance it is a storage room not a kitchen, but the idea is the same. Let the people IN that space have a way out. Everyone else is already closer than required to an 'exit'.
I know it seems too easy, but consider this...
IF the plans show an 'exit' for use by persons in the storage room (no marcation outside of the storage room), and a single 'exit' for everyone else,
THEN 'travel distance to an exit' is not exceeded at any point, CPET (which all but Kil agree is not the issue) would not be exceeded either.
Other than attempting to shoot down the idea with 'exits can't go through storage rooms', I don't know of a code 'problem' with this proposal. Remember with this arrangement there is NO 'exit going through' the storage room, only an exit directly to the exterior FROM the storage room.
If that's a problem, then there is no code compliant exit from a storage room.