Project Update (February 13, 2013):
Aleida Andrino-Chavez (City of Albany’s Transportation Planner) provided us with this photo (sent by Ana Bernardes in Public Works who is overseeing the construction of the project). Please note the new, improved curb-cuts at Buchanan/Pierce where the new cycling ramp / plaza meets the street. Kudos to the City staff for making this happen!
- new curb-cut with wider access to the ramp will accommodate cyclists and pedestrians traveling in opposite directions
*******************************
The construction for the new plaza access to/from the Buchanan Street Pedestrian and Bicycle bridge is underway and the curb-cuts at Pierce Street have now been completed. Here are some photos showing the ongoing construction. The good news is that you no longer need to detour Pierce-Johnson-Cleveland-Buchanan Spur just to get onto the pedestrian/bike bridge. 
The less-good news is that those nasty bollards will still be around until at least when the new plaza construction and Buchanan bike-path segments have been completed.
Here are some photos i took yesterday morning on my way to/from the Albany Bulb.
AS&R had recommended a wider curb-cut at Pierce Street, so it’s a bit disheartening to see that the rather narrow profile of what went in will not easily accomodate people on bikes or people on bikes and pedestrians together.
Join in on the ongoing discussion on this and other matters in the next City meetings and/or Traffic & Safety Commission meetings.
Your photos here prompted me to see the new curb ramps at the Greenway and Gilman in Berkeley. I took a photo and posted it here
http://www.albanystrollroll.org/gallery/projects-progress-around-town/
The ramps have SEVEN segments, far more appropriate and safe than the one segment at Buchanan.
unfortunately, the curb ramp at the south corner of Buchanan and Pierce is well below legal and safe specs… it is 4 ft wide for a 10 foot wide path when the legal specs say the curb ramp must be the width of a bikeway…
We presented photos at a Traffic & Safety Commission meeting and explained the danger of funneling people into a space more than half the width of the path (as well as citing the proper CalDOT section which the engineers should have known.)
City Staff has promised to fix those before the Buchanan St Bikeway is open for business – we will continue to monitor.