Yeah, this seems bizarre. There is better access right now to cutting-edge algorithms than ever, as well as building blocks that make it easier than ever to implement the algorithms described. I've been doing this for years, and I've noticed it get progressively easier. Honorable mention to http://thepaperbay.com/ for making it easier to get around those occasional papers stuck behind paywalls.
Another honorable mention: http://www.reddit.com/r/scholar
Is this really the case? When I have to solve a particularly unusual or tricky problem, I often have a look at relevant academic papers and go from there – either finding existing solutions, or basing one on the contents of the paper. I kind of assumed most developers did the same.